WCEP Statement on the Death of Crane 15-06

May 1, 2007

The Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership regretfully announces the death of crane 15-06, the surviving member of the ultralight-led Class of 2006. The carcass of juvenile crane 15-06, a male, was discovered earlier this week at the Halpata-Tastanaki Preserve in Marion County, Florida. He had not been observed during an aerial search on April 21, and his radio signal was not detected during a ground search of the area on April 23. Veterinarians at the University of Florida’s Laboratory of Wildlife Disease Research will perform a necropsy to determine the cause of death.

The 17 other juvenile whooping cranes of the Class of 2006 died during violent storms that struck central Florida on Feb. 1-2. Necropsy results show they were likely stunned by a lightning strike of sufficient strength to cause them to collapse in rising water and drown in their top-netted pen at Chassahowitzka NWR. Crane 15-06 managed to escape the pen during the storm and was discovered alive on Feb. 3.

The Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP) Project Direction Team has undertaken a comprehensive review of the events leading up to the loss of these cranes. Once concluded, a summary of the report will be released to the public via the WCEP website at http://www.bringbackthecranes.org/.

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