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Whooping Crane Reintroduction Project Update 
December 2001

(PDF version)

The whooping cranes flying over Crystal River, Florida near the end of their migration. Jeffrey Huxmann/Sunshine Productions HC/Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership

Whooping cranes are one of the best known endangered species. They symbolize the struggle to maintain the vanishing creatures of our world. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, along with cooperating organizations, is taking steps to reintroduce a migratory population of whooping cranes east of the Mississippi River, nesting in Wisconsin.

Project Summary

About 1,400 whooping cranes existed in 1860. Their population declined because of hunting and habitat loss until 1941, when the last migrating flock dwindled to an all-time low of 15 wild birds. Since then, the wild population has slowly increased to over 170 on recent migrations. This flock winters in Aransas National Wildlife Refuge on the Gulf coast of Texas and migrates to Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada. This flock is the only naturally occurring wild population in the world. Scientists have long recognized the risk of having all of the wild whooping cranes using one wintering and breeding location. With the cranes concentrated in one area, the population could be wiped out by disease, natural disaster, or human impacts. Whooping crane survival depends on additional, separated populations.

The International Whooping Crane Recovery Team, and an extensive group of federal, state and private partners called the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership, is reintroducing a second, migratory flock of whooping cranes into the eastern United States. This flock is expected to nest in central Wisconsin, after release at the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge, and they will migrate to Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge in Florida.

The Sandhill Crane Test Migration

During the summer of 2000, a pilot project testing the rearing techniques for whooping cranes was conducted at the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge using sandhill crane chicks. These young birds were reared by people dressed in crane "costumes" using crane puppets. On October 3, the cranes began their migration to Florida following ultralight aircraft on the longest human-led migration, covering 1,250 miles. Eleven cranes arrived at their destination on November 11. On February 25, the cranes began their unassisted return migration to Necedah National Wildlife Refuge from Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. They arrived back in central Wisconsin at the end of April.

This phase of the project allowed biologists to refine a vital link in the reintroduction project. In wild crane populations, chicks follow their parents south on the fall migration, then return north the next spring on their own. When re-creating a new population of whooping cranes, there are no adults available to lead the next generations on a migration. Humans have taken on the role of "surrogate parents," carefully selecting a migratory route and safely leading the cranes between chosen locations.

Whoopers in Wisconsin!

The International Whooping Crane Recovery Team met in January and evaluated the sandhill crane test project. A decision was reached to proceed with a similar release of whooping cranes in 2001.

A public comment period was held to allow input on the proposed federal rule to designate

Whooping cranes and ultralights about to take off from a field in Sauk County, Wisconsin. Photo by Wisconsin DNR; Bob Manwell

this as an "experimental, nonessential" population. The comments were incorporated into a final document that was sent to Washington, D.C. Final approval to proceed with the reintroduction project was granted upon publication of the final rule on June 26, 2001. Prior to advancing with the project, two flyway councils, seven states directly on the flight path, and 13 adjacent states approved easements for the crane project.

Ten whooping crane chicks hatched at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland between May 7 and May 24. They were shipped via private aircraft to Wisconsin, arriving at the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge on July 10. Before their release into pens on a secluded refuge marsh, the chicks underwent a rigorous medical examination.

Initially still too young to fly, the chicks followed behind the costumed pilots as they drove the ultralights on the ground. Once their flight feathers grew in, the young whooping cranes took their first actual flight as a group on August 11. Training continued daily over the marshes of the Necedah Refuge. As their flight muscles developed, they followed the airborne ultralight on gradually longer trips.

The Migration to Florida

On October 17, the unique flock departed on fall migration. High winds, along with fog and warm temperatures on the southern part of the journey slowed their progress. The group of seven cranes arrived at Chassahowitzka NWR on December 3: 48 days and 1,218 miles from their starting point.

Thanks to the efforts of organizations involved in the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership, endangered whooping cranes will again be seen in the Midwest after a 100-year absence. The recovery goal for the new migratory flock is 125 birds in Wisconsin by the year 2020, with a minimum of 25 breeding pairs.

For Additional Information: check out these web sites:

International Crane Foundation
Operation Migration, Inc.
USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center

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