I count myself as fortunate that I can enjoy photographing Red-Crowned Cranes during my annual Hokkaido photo tour Wildlife Bird-spotting Expedition. Birding in Japan is becoming increasingly popular with international photographers. To date, Japan has documented over 600 bird species, which over 60% of which are migratory. The remaining 40% are either sub-regional or endemic. Japan is latitudinally long at over 3,000 kilometers, located in the Northwest Pacific Ocean; climates range from sub-arctic conditions in the north to subtropical in the south. There are two distinct ecological lines dividing Japan’s natural indigenous plant and animal life, “The Blakiston’s Line” and the “Watase’s Line.” Due to this uniquely rare ecological condition, Japan is abundantly rich in avifauna, making it the perfect location for wildlife and wildlife photographers. Species that are either endemic or sub-regional endemic include Blakiston’s Fish-owl, Pyer’s Woodpecker, Japanese White-eye, Black Kite, and the Shima Enaga; there are over 60 species in this category. However, the Red-crowned Cranes were also thought to be exclusively in this category, but because of extensive tagging, we now know that there are dozens that migrate from Russia and China to Hokkaido, Japan.

The Red-crowned Crane is on the IUCN’s red list as endangered, but the most progress in protecting their habitat is for the sub-regional endemic population in Hokkaido, and being a long-time Hokkaido resident, I understand the care with which the local residents have and continue to extend to their natural surroundings, especially the First Nations People, the Ainu who value the cranes as Kamuy or a divine being. Considering my Canadian First Nations People's upbringing and background, the Ainu’s appreciation of their natural surroundings resonates with the teachings I was introduced to in my childhood. Another force for preservation is the International Crane Foundation which is taking steps to protect common resting areas along the migratory Red-crowned Cranes routes by promoting sustainable farming methods that preserve more of the natural surroundings in which the cranes flourish.