ITERA to settle at Kunovat

“The Flight of Hope”, an International environmental project, is entering its most important phase. The project is purposed to restore the West Siberian population of Siberian white cranes, an extremely rare bird species. Quite recently, the younglings raised in Oksk Biosphere State Reserve have been taken to the nestling grounds in Yamal.

With assistance of ITERA, the projects main sponsor, the young white cranes have been delivered by plane to Salekhard. Thence they were carried by helicopter to the flood land of the Kunovat river.

A reporter of Regions.Ru learned from the company’s press-service that young white cranes continue to be trained at their new habitat, following their mechanical alpha male, a specially designed motor hang-glider. The mechanical bird will lead the matured cranes showing them the way from the wetlands of Kunovat to the wintering grounds in southern countries, Uzbekistan and Iran. The white cranes face a challenge of covering the distance of more than 5,000 kilometers directed by the hang-glider.

The birds are in good condition after their travel to Yamal, gathering strength and preparing for their first long-distance migration to start late in August.

The ornithologists of the Oksk reserve have given names to each of the four young cranes involved in “The Flight of Hope” project. So now the young white crane ITERA is at last settling for good in the new habitats together with its mates, Yamal, Yugra and Tyuma. And after the winter migration the beauties make their way back home.

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