The black-necked Cranes (Grus nigricollis) is a vulnerable species of Cranes. There are only 5,000-6,000 of them in the world. Each fall, 2-300 black-necked cranes fly few thousand miles from Tibet to two specific locations in Bhutan. They return to Tibet in Spring when it starts to get warmer in Bhutan. The bird is part of the Bhutanese folklore, music, and dance. The villagers celebrate their arrival and they are saddened when the birds depart. The people get nervous when the birds don’t arrive on time since it could mean bad harvest or ill-luck. The bird is respected and both the people and the government protects the bird’s habitat. Bhutan is also home to one of the most endangered bird species in the world, the White-bellied Heron (Ardea insignis). The unique event to mark the arrival of the black-necked cranes, held annually is an attraction to both locals and tourists alike.
Annual Black-necked Crane Festival celebration: November 12
The much awaited event of the Year – the Annual Black-necked Crane Festival is here again. The early morning chill is not a deterrent to the members of Phobjikha Environment Management Committee (PEMC) as they rise up early in preparation for the festival. PEMC, the local community group was formed nine years ago by the Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN) under its integrated conservation and development program (ICDP) initiative. The committee was formed to promote conservation and guide the prudent management of natural resources in Phobjikha. Over the years, the committee has increasingly taken up responsibilities that they are now the organizers of the festival.
The Annual black-necked Crane Festival is celebrated on 12th November every year and coincides with the birth anniversary of our Fourth King Jigme Singye Wangchuck. [Over the years], the crane festival saw a huge crowd such that finding a place to sit was difficult. It also saw a large number of international visitors/ tourists who were delighted to attend such a rare occasion.
The students from two community primary schools in the valley presented cultural items including the most fascinating item, black-necked crane dance. There were also many cultural dance and mask dance items presented by local village folks. One of the unique cultural items was the ‘Pazap’ presented by the folks of Bjena geowg. Continue reading The story of Black-Necked Crane Festival
