Narges Rouhani, an environmental activist, pointed to the return of the last Siberian crane to Iran and said, “this crane which is called Omid (Persian for 'hope') landed at Fereydunkenar wetland on Saturday at 7:30 AM. He is currently resting and feeding there.”

She noted that this crane flew to Iran on October 30 last year in his sixth return and said, “Omid flies a distance of about 6,000km each year to arrive in Iran.”

In 2007, three cranes entered Fereydunkenar wetland, two of which were unfortunately shot. Omid is the only remaining Siberian crane to keep returning to Iran.

The eastern populations of Siberian cranes migrate during winter to China while the western population spends winters in Iran and formerly, in India.

Fereydunkenar is a city in and the capital of Fereydunkenar County, Mazandaran Province, north of Iran. It is a resort on the Caspian Sea, with a wetland located at the south east of the county. Fereydunkenar wetland has one of the richest ecosystems among the northern cities of Iran.

MS

MNA

END

