The red-crowned crane was thought to be extinct.However, they were discovered in 1924 in the Kushiro Marshlands of Hokkaido, Japan.Worldwide, the number of red-crowned cranes has declined and they are endangered, but in Hokkaido, Japan, their numbers are on the rise.This is thanks to the protection measures taken by the local people, the Japanese Ministry of the Environment and the Wild Bird Society of Japan.The red-crowned cranes are fed with grain during the winter.This photo was taken at the Tsurui Ito Red-crowned Crane Sanctuary, one of the protected areas.