Over 2,950 dogs sterilised in Ladakh to protect black-necked cranes

Mumbai: More than 2,950 free-ranging dogs have been sterilised in Ladakh to help protect the endangered Black-necked Crane and support wildlife tourism-based livelihoods, according to the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).

The initiative, launched in 2022, is being carried out with the Indian Army, the Animal Husbandry Department, and the Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment.

Wildlife experts flagged that free-ranging dogs were killing BNC chicks in the Alpine Wetlands of Ladakh and disturbing nesting sites, preventing the cranes from settling in one place.

The Black-necked Crane is listed as “vulnerable” globally. It is also the state bird of Ladakh and holds cultural significance in the region. Fewer than 100 individuals survive in India, while the estimated world population is roughly 11,000–12,000, most of them on the Tibetan Plateau.

BNHS officials said the sterilisation drive aims to reduce dog numbers humanely, safeguard BNC chicks, and help stabilize the fragile wetland ecosystem to boost wildlife tourism.