WWF-Mongolia organizes a series of awareness raising events and campaigns for eco club children to encourage their active participation in the migratory bird conservation in local areas. As part of this campaign, a traditional event called “Welcome the Cranes” was organized together with eco-club students in Norovlin soum, Khentii province. A total of 70 eco-club students participated in the event and improved their knowledge about migratory birds. WWF-Mongolia’s specialists presented in detail the importance of threatened migratory bird conservation and  threats to the migratory birds.   They also shared interesting facts about migratory birds.

The children were divided into three groups and conducted field observations along the Ulz River, where they observed 18 species of birds, including the critically endangered White-naped cane.  During the trip, the specialists presented a publication “Let's Better Know of Cranes” to the children. Before the presentation, the children were aware and name two species of crane at maximum, but they have become to be aware of six species of cranes occurring in the country.  

Territory of Norovlin sub-province is abundant by the wetlands, where large herds of migratory water birds gather.  Sadly, some of the small lakes and ponds and their reed and cane stands have been lost due to ongoing climate change effect and human activities. Besides, dogs of local herders residing near the wetlands have become a major threat to eggs of white-naped crane, according to the automatic cameras placed nearby the lakes and ponds. Therefore, eco-club students encouraged local to keep their herds namely horses and cattle herds and dogs away from crane nesting grounds during the nesting season.

In addition, 11 students from herder households living near Lake Doroo in the Mongol Daguur Strictly protected area have joined the “Chicks of my hometown” initiative, which aims to protect chicks. The students received training and were taught methodologies for conducting field observations and monitoring.