Origin of a pair of red-crowned cranes (Grus japonensis) found in Sarobetsu Wetland, northwestern Hokkaido, Japan: a possible crossbreeding between the island and the mainland population

Red-crowned cranes Grus japonensis, which are an endangered species, have two separate populations, a mainland population in the Eurasian continent and an island population in eastern Hokkaido, Japan. Island cranes showed three haplotypes (Gj1, Gj2 and Gj13), whereas ten haplotypes (Gj3-Gj12) were confirmed in captive cranes and stray cranes. We found Gj5 haplotype in feathers of two cranes as well as four new haplotypes in seven wild crane feathers collected in South Korea. We also found feathers in the nest in Sarobetsu Wetland in northwestern Hokkaido. While the haplotype of female-derived feathers was Gj2, that of male-derived feathers was Gj5. The results suggest that there has been crossbreeding between cranes in the island population and cranes in the mainland population.

Automated summary

The endangered Red-crowned cranes have separate populations on the mainland and the island of Hokkaido. The study found different haplotypes among the island cranes and confirmed multiple haplotypes in captive and stray cranes. New haplotypes were discovered in wild crane feathers collected in South Korea, and feathers were found in a nest in northwestern Hokkaido. The results suggest crossbreeding between the island and mainland crane populations.