25 January, 2014: 37 Black-necked Cranes (Grus nigricollis) were counted at Khayber (Rinchengang), Bayling (Below the Pear Tree, Lithongshing), Trashiyangtse . Between 08.18 am to 08.27 am about 37 BNCs were seen feeding in the dry paddies feeding on the grain droppings. This area is a popular non-roosting feeding area for the BNCs in Trashiyangtse. The BNCs usually come to this area at 5 am from roosting areas in Bumdeling.
The management team of the new Community-based Sustainable Tourism (CBST) Group of Phobjikha was given a 5 days training on basic office management from 23rd to 27th January 2014 at the RSPN headquarter in Thimphu. The management team was formed as a requirement of the CBST business plan for establishment of a CBST Group secretariat/ office.
RSPN and the Community-based Sustainable Tourism (CBST) Group of Phobjikha organized a familiarization trip for Bhutanese tour operators to experience the CBST services and facilities established through the CBST project in Phobjikha from 16th to 18th February, 2014.
A meeting with tour operators to promote Phobjikha Community-based Sustainable Tourism (CBST) was conducted on 22nd January 2014 at the RSPN JKERC Auditorium in Thimphu.
It was organized to provide a platform to introduce local CBST services to the tour operators. It was attended by 35 tour operators of Thimphu.
With the completion of winter migration, the total number of Black –necked Cranes sighted in the country across all the habitats are monitored as usual and recorded by conducting a simultaneous count coordinated by the Royal Society for Protection of Nature. The count helps in understanding the population trend of the cranes. The count is normally carried out when the cranes are in their roosts.