Celebrate Whooping Cranes

Whooping Cranes at Crane Foundation. 9/2/2024 dwm

Over this last weekend, the good folks in Port Aransas, celebrate the return of  Whooping Cranes to Texas.

The area along the Gulf Coast of Texas is where a wild flock of Whoopers return each winter. 

Some Whooping Cranes return to Wisconsin each summer, but they are part of a much smaller flock.

The International Crane Foundation estimates there are more than 800 Whooping Cranes in the world.

133 are in captivity. 530 are part of the Aransas - Wood migratory flock, and another 160 are part of re-introduced flocks.

Whooping Crane at Int. Crane Foundation. 5/29/21 dwm

 The Whooping Cranes are a wonderful comeback story, but they remain an endangered species. 

 Baraboo, Wisconsin is the only place in the world you can see birds representing all 15 surviving species of cranes in the world. 

 You can find them on display at the headquarters of the International Crane Foundation.

 In 1941, there were only 21 Whooping Cranes left, which makes 800 sound like a lot. 

 The birds are making strides toward recovery, but are long way from matching their abundant cousin, the Sandhill crane, of which there are now so many in Wisconsin an annual hunt gets proposed annually, but, thankfully hasn't been enacted.

I hope the Whooping Crane, and the other threatened crane species, are able to expand their territory. That would really be something to celebrate!

Whooping cranes at International Crane Foundation. 9/2/2024 dwm