Habitat loss and degradation are the principle causes of threat to Grus antigone. The wildlife trade is another threat.
The distribution of Grus antigone includes; Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam.
It may be extinct from the Philippines and Thailand.
The Indian subcontinent is to get its first bird specific wildlife park. The 5km squared Saman Bird Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh will be renamed the Sarus Sanctuary and act as a reserve for the Sarus crane.
Grus antigone is considered as "Lower Risk" sub-category "near threatened" by the IUCN. CITES lists the species as "Appendix 2".