Crane - Cranes - Cranes

Blue Crane. 9/2/2024 dwm photo

I don't know how it had been three years since we last visited the International Crane Foundation outside Baraboo, Wisconsin. It's a treasure and we're lucky to have it in Wisconsin. 

The reason it's here is because one of the two men, George Archibald and Ron Sauey, who started the Foundation had a connection to Wisconsin farmland. The pair rented land from Sauey's parents for $1 a year to rent space for their passionate efforts to save the beautiful birds and their habitat around the world.

It's the only place in the world you can see all 15 species of crane.

A Blue Crane. 9/2/2024 dwm photo

That early farm was replaced ten years later in 1983 when they moved to their home between Baraboo and Wisconsin Dells. The area open to the public has habitats for each species that allows each to live as close to normal lives possible. Those habitats were improved before the foundation's 50th anniversary last year.

As a photographer, I appreciate the opportunity to capture realistic looks at the rare birds.
 

A Black Crowned Crane. 9/2/2024 dwm photo

Wisconsin is home to two species of cranes. 

Sandhill cranes are one of the most abundant species. In the Badger state, Sandhill cranes were on the verge of extinction, now they are common. We have a pair that live in a wetland just a couple blocks from our home.

The Whooping crane is one of the most endangered and its made a tremendous comeback after reaching a low of just 21 wild birds in 1941. In 2020, their numbers rebounded to 800.

Whooping cranes at the International Crane Foundation. 8/2/24 dwm photo

The Whooping cranes have a beautiful enclosure with a roofed amphitheater where tour groups can learn about endangered species while admiring them move around their home.

The tallest bird in North America is recovering but its survival is still tenuous as stop-over points they depend on during migration and their winter homes aren't guaranteed due to issues with development and climate change.

The Siberian crane. 9/2/2024 dwm photo

The Siberian cranes have a compound near the Whooping cranes because they are the second most endangered species in the world. In addition to their work in the United States, the Crane Foundation is active in other countries helping farmers and communities preserve the birds and where they live while helping those communities to live with them.

In many cultures cranes are almost mythical and treasured. Some of the in-roads the Foundation is making involves finding ways for cranes to help the local economy instead of being threatened by it.

A Black-necked crane. 9/2/2024 dwm photo

On our most recent visit, we spent 90-minutes strolling around the grounds. There are nature loops that take you through the natural beauty of the campus. Usually a wild pair of Sandhill cranes nest there.

Beyond those walking paths is Crane City where scientists and researchers work to breed each species and reintroduce them to their natural habitat. It is not open to the public.

Red-Crowned crane. 8/2/2024 dwm photo

A beautiful space on campus that is open to visitors is the Migration center which features videos of thousands of Sandhill cranes as they gather on the Platte River in Nebraska on their flight south. The interior is impressive with an arched ceiling that is painted with a mural of cranes in a variety of situations.

If you haven't been there in a while, you should visit again. If you haven't been there, make plans to see it soon.

Whooping cranes in their habitat. 9/2/24 dwm photo