WP: After Long Struggle, Whooping Crane Population Hits Milestone

[DeepModem Mom]

After Long Struggle, Whooping Crane Population Hits Milestone
By Sylvia Moreno
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, December 26, 2006; Page A03


A family of whooping cranes heads to the water near the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas. Conservation efforts have saved the birds, once nearly extinct. (By Ron Heflin -- Associated Press)

AUSTWELL, Tex. -- One of the most beloved groups of winter Texans is back, in the largest number in a century and with a record 45 youngsters in tow, including an even rarer seven pairs of twins.

They flew 2,400 miles from Canada's Northwest Territories and can be seen munching on blue crabs and bright red-orange wolfberries among the marshes of the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.

The whooping crane, the tallest bird in North America, whose numbers dwindled to fewer than 20 in 1941, is not only back from the brink of extinction but also thriving -- a comeback story, federal wildlife officials say, that illustrates how a coordinated conservation effort can save a species.

"The whooping crane continues to mirror the success of endangered species recovery when man sets his mind to it," said Tom Stehn, the national whooping crane coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "We have come a long way, but we do have a long, long way to go."

This year, the nation's only natural wild population of whooping cranes reached a milestone. Stehn's mid-December census of the migratory crane flock at the wildlife refuge, where he is based, numbered 237. Combined with the number of birds in captivity in three special flocks raised for reintroduction to the wild and those in zoos, the crane population now numbers 518. This is the first time in more than a century that whooping cranes have numbered more than 500....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/25/AR2006122500551.html?nav=most_emailed

[coffeenap]

1. Great news! If you love cranes, go to the link below. It is

a wonderful organization and likely had a hand in this comeback. My family and I have visited their center--it is an inspiring and interesting place to go.

http://www.savingcranes.org/

[DeepModem Mom]

3. Thanks, coffeenap! nt

[Dudley_DUright]

4. It is really is a great place to visit

My wife and I spent the whole day there a few years ago. If you are ever in Baraboo, WI make sure to stop in for a visit.

[Kolesar]

8. We stopped there last year when we were in the area--what a delight!

The naturalist/tourguide we had was excellent. She even answered questions about praries and foundation funding.

[buddysmellgood]

12. You know it! Baraboo, Wisconsin. My home town. I came face to face with a stray

crane when I was 12. I was on a three mile run on a loop that took me past their old headquarter. It was less than 3 feet from me and my buddy when it spread its wings and cocked it's head. I thought it was going to peck my head off. We ran to the foundation office. They told us it was a bird named Gordi, and that he would come back.

[opihimoimoi]

2. Someday...and I hope NOT,.... see mankind recover from a similar story/fate

...from less than a thousand to several hundred thousand....it will take time to recover from a catastrophic die off due to our own misdeeds and lack of preperations...

Facing us square in the face is Overpopulation, gross waste of energy, Ignorance, depletion os natural resources, etc etc and lack of good planning...we have our heads in the sand...only a few will make it through....there will be a lot to re discover/learn... from making steel, to making computers, etc....much less surviving on an everyday basis....

Its wonderful to see the cranes making a comeback...in times of famine...they too will be food for our starving masses yet to come...I hope not but unless we start doing something to prevent Famine...it WILL COME to bite our collective asses...

[Ilsa]

5. We used to go to the Wildlife refuge to see the cranes every

winter. Lots of wonderful birds to count and catalog in our personal notebook there. We don't go much anymore because of or situation with the kids. They have boat tours to get watchers a little closer, and a wonderful viewing tower. It's a thrill to find them out there when looking from the tower.

[catmandu57]

6. I've been following the whoopers

every since I read Even Cowgirls Get The Blues, it's good to see they've passed 500, but, there is a long way to go yet.

[unc70]

7. I've been following them since I heard Bob and Ray

It is one of the best of their comedy routines, the interview of an expert on whooping cranes.

I just took a quick look and didn't easily find a version on the net. Will look again when I have a moment.

I think I still remember almost all (4-5) of the actual facts in the interview. Classic parody of MSM.

[DoYouEverWonder]

10. I'd love to hear that one

if you can find it.

'Write if you get work and hang by your thumbs.'

[StClone]

11. I'd like to see two more population developed

One nesting in Central Canada migrating to somewhere between Texas and Florida pan-handle and another in Maine or east Canada and winter on the southern East Coast.

[Judi Lynn]

9. Such good whooping cranes news. Hope we get a lot more, as well.

[sofa king]

13. And that's no thanks to the Bush Congress

And in particular it's no thanks to rancher and Endangered Species Act re-writer Richard Pombo, who thanks to good Democrats in his district is a lame duck himself, now.