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| Activities for preserving Tancho-Cranes |
In 1962, the school master of Shimosetsuri Elementary School initiated the preservation of Tancho-Crane as a part of the nature study scheme for children, and eventually it involved the whole village. 「General Research on Tancho-Crane Inhabitation」 is a very important yearly project for the village children. In this research, they work together to check the number of the cranes, and learn how to protect them.
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Tsurumidai feeding ground
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Tome Watabe ■Tancho-Crane feeder |
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Tsurumidai is known as one of the two major crane-feeding grounds in the area, and probably in Japan. Some 180 cranes feed here everyday between late October and late March. |
| Feeding season |
from late October till late March |
| Feeding time |
Early in the morning and 14:30 |
| Address / Tsurumidai, Tsurui-Mura, Akan-Gun, Hokkaido |
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Takes 25 minutes by car from Kushiro. Drive from Kushiro toward Tsurui-Mura on route 53. The feeding ground is on the right side of the road. | |
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Tsurui / Ito Tancho Sanctuary
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Japan wild bird association. Tsurui / Ito Tancho Sanctuary Nature Center. |
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| Feeding season |
From late October till late March |
| Feeding time |
About 14:00 |
| Address / Nakasetsuri-Minami, Tsurui-Mura, Akan-Gun, Hokkaido |
| Take Akan bus, bound for Tsurui Hoyo Center, at JR Kushiro Staion. Get off the bus at Tsuruimura Yakuba-mae (In front of Tsurui-Mura Town Hall). Walk 15 minutes. | |
The late Yoshitaka Ito, who devoted his life for the preservation of Tancho-cranes, and his family donated this feeding ground to Japan Wild Bird Association. The members of JWBA have now taken over the running of the sanctuary. |
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Some important rules when you do crane watching. |
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l Keep out of the feeding grounds and their roosts. |
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- This is the vital point in order not to destroy our good relationship with the cranes, which has taken a long time to establish. |
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l Do not frighten them, and do not use the flash when you take photographs. |
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- Some accidents have actually happened when people used flashes during the twilight time. Some cranes were so frightened by sudden flashes while they were flying that they collided against trees. So, please obey this rule. |
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l Take the rubbish back with you. |
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- Some cranes have been reported to be killed when they ate the food that was left behind by people. Please take the rubbish with you after watching the cranes. |
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