TheRed-Crownedcrane(Grusjaponensis)hasoneofthemostbeautifuldancesinthebirdworld.Cranedanceshaveaveryimportantpurpose.Adultcranesliveinmale-femalepairs,andthesedanceshelpstrengthenthebondbetweenthetwobirds. 　　Thebirdsthemselvesareasstrikingastheirdance.Theyhavebrightwhitebodieswithblacknecksandwingfeathers.Astheirnameimplies,theyalsohavea"cap"ofexposedredskin.Bycontrollingbloodflowtothecap,thecranecancauseittoswellandcommunicateaggression. 　　TheRed-Crownedcraneisoneofthemostendangeredofthe15cranespecies.Thereareonlyabout1500ofthesebeautifulbirdsintheworld.Aswiththeothercranes,theirmainthreatishabitatdestruction.Peoplewanttodeveloptherichlandthatcranesneedtosurvive.Peoplecutthelonggrassesthatprotectthecranesandotheranimalsinthehabitats,andfishinthesamewatersasthecranes. 　　AlongtheAmurRiverandLakeKhanka,ChinaandRussiaarebeginningtocooperatetoprotecttheserarebirds.(Seemaponfacingpage.)TheAmurandKhankaareasliealongtheborderbetweenthetwocountriesandisthehabitatforsomeoftheRed-Crownedcranes.Theworktoprotectthesetwoareasisamodelforinternationalcooperationforconservation.Ifthesebirdsarelost,thepeopleofAsiawillhavelostanimportantsymbolofluckandpeace.