Knowledge, attitudes, and conservation threats to globally vulnerable Sarus Cranes in Lumbini Province, Nepal

Understanding people’s knowledge and attitudes is essential for evaluating and assessing the distribution and threats confronted by wildlife, including bird species. However, research and data are limited, particularly on large waterbirds like the globally threatened Sarus Crane (Grus antigone) that inhabit human-altered wetland-agricultural landscapes. To address this gap, we interviewed 459 respondents across four districts in Lumbini Province, Nepal, in April–June 2023 to assess knowledge, attitudes, and conservation threats related to the Sarus Crane. Ninety-nine percent of the respondents correctly identified the Sarus Crane, though only one-third had observed its nests, almost 50% perceived a decline in nesting sites, and 59% perceived distribution range contraction in the past decade. Respondents identified habitat loss and degradation (44%), hunting (19%), and wetland deterioration (16%) as the most prominent threats to the species. Overall, 95% of respondents were unaware of the national and global conservation status of the Sarus Crane and 90% were unaware of local education and awareness initiatives. Nonetheless, 96% of respondents advocated controlling hunting, improving wetland management, enhancing awareness programs, and protecting habitats as measures for Sarus Crane conservation. Our study underscores the need for intensified community engagement for monitoring the species, and wetland restorations to safeguard this iconic species outside the protected areas system.