| |
Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership
2003 Annual Report
Summary of 2003
Activities and Accomplishments
- Go here for the complete 62
page report (PDF)
During this third
year of the migratory whooping crane reintroduction in the eastern United
States, the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP) continued to meet
or exceed all objectives. Since 2001, 36 whooping cranes have been reintroduced
successfully and are migrating along a well-defined migration corridor
between Wisconsin and Florida. Survival of whooping cranes after completion
of their first fall migration behind ultralight aircraft has been 92%.
During winter 2002-2003,
all 21 whooping cranes in the population successfully overwintered in
Florida. Twenty of 21 birds migrated back to the upper Midwest in spring,
while the last bird was captured and translocated to central Wisconsin
after she went off course among the mountains north of Atlanta. Summering
birds showed appropriate habitat selection and human avoidance behaviors,
and used a variety of state, county and private wetlands in addition to
Necedah and Horicon National Wildlife Refuges and other federal lands.
Thirteen cranes spent the summer in the core reintroduction area, centered
on Necedah National Wildli fe Refuge, including all trackable males (one
male did not have a fully functional transmitter and could not be monitored)
and those females associating with males. The other seven birds, all females,
spent the summer elsewhere in Wisconsin (2 birds), northern Illinois (1
bird), southeastern Minnesota (1 bird), and northeastern South Dakota
(3 birds). The latter 3 birds were captured and moved back to central
Wisconsin, where 1 bird developed capture myopathy and was euthanized
after unsuccessful treatment efforts. The other 20 birds migrated south
successfully along the desired Wisconsin-Florida corridor. Nineteen of
20 are now being monitored at wintering sites in central and northern
Florida. Sixteen of these 19 birds are wintering at freshwater, inland
sites; 3 are wintering at the release pen at Chassahowitzka with the 2003
cohort of chicks.
A third group of whooping
crane chicks was hatched at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center and received
early training in preparation for ultralight-led migration. Nineteen chicks
were allocated to the project this year; one died at 11 days of age and
another was removed from the project due to chronic illness. Special recognition
is due this year to the San Antonio Zoo, a new WCEP partner, for contributing
2 eggs to the project. These eggs were hatched at Patuxent together with
16 Patuxent eggs and 1 egg from the International Crane Foundation. Half
the chicks received West Nile virus vaccinations at Patuxent, to assist
in tracking the efficacy of the vaccine and natural exposure of the birds
to the virus. Windway Capital Corporation flew 17 chicks to Necedah National
Wildlife Refuge in June. During the summer, one chick died following a
collision with an ultralight aircraft.
Chicks were housed
at three training facilities on the refuge that had been improved during
the previous winter by refuge staff to provide better conditions for water
roosting. Late summer drought, however, meant that access to water for
roosting within the pens was limited. Cohort 1 had access to water on
113 of 119 nights. Cohort 2 was able to water roost on 110 of 119 nights,
while Cohort 3 had access on 74 of 119 nights. To reduce disruption during
the weeks before migration, the pre-migration health check minimized handling
of the birds. Use of temporary snap-on bands with radios for the migration
greatly speeded the banding process in comparison to previous years. Handling
time was decreased by half and hardly any training time was lost. Previously,
up to two weeks of critical training time was lost following banding/pre-migration
health check. Changes in training techniques and favorable weather meant
that the birds, this year, were better prepared than ever before. They
routinely made 30-minute flights at Necedah in September, putting the
project about two weeks ahead of previous years.
The migration began
on October 16, and required 54 days to cover 1,191 miles. Unfavorable
weather delayed the start of migration by over a week and made this the
longest migration to date, including two 5-day breaks and four 4-day breaks.
All 16 chicks completed the migration successfully, arriving at the wintering
pen at Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge on the Gulf Coast of Florida
on December 8. A health check occurred after arrival, and permanent bands
and new radios were attached. Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership 4 A team
of veterinarians worked to provide top quality health care to the birds,
with an emphasis on preventive medicine approaches. We have developed
a network of veterinary consultants along the flyway to provide emergency
services for WCEP birds.
In 2003, flyway states
played an expanded role in outreach efforts, especially during migration.
Project staff worked closely with state agencies, particularly in states
where whooping cranes spent considerable time including Wisconsin, Florida,
Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota.
The project’s
Outreach Team continued to work with media, interested individuals, organizations,
school children and the general public to provide information and educational
opportunities about whooping cranes and the reintroduction. Although 2003
was the third ultralight migration involving whooping cranes along the
Wisconsin-Florida flyway, media and public interest continued to be strong,
and the partnership fielded an estimated 300 media queries. Websites for
WCEP and project partners received very heavy use, combining to register
over six million hits. We devoted more effort to creating educational
materials this year, and directly reached over 15,000 people with presentations.
The total direct-costs
budget for 2003 (funds outside ordinary operating budgets) was $1,203,891,
of which 48.4% or $583,112 was required by private organizations. In addition,
capital equipment and facilities requirements for 2003 totalled $205,118.
By the year’s end, most necessary funding requirements had been met.
We anticipate the budget for 2004 will be slightly lower than in 2003.
Although more birds are part of the new population, capital requirements
should be less due to several major purchases and donations in 2003. WCEP
is very grateful to all of our partners and supporters, who have made
this project possible.
For 2004, the Whooping
Crane Recovery Team (WCRT) has approved allocation of up to 20 chicks
for the ultralight-led migration. The WCRT authorized WCEP to proceed
with planning for a second release method, to supplement the ultralight-led
migrations and add birds to the population beginning in 2005. This second
method that involves releasing juvenile whooping cranes in the fall with
older wild whooping cranes, is consistent with the original planning documents
and approvals for the project. Detailed planning and needed coordination
will be ongoing in 2004.
The Wisconsin Department
of Natural Resources has recognized the need for a state comprehensive
management plan for whooping cranes. WCEP partners have agreed that such
a plan is also needed for the eastern migratory population, addressing
issues beyond Wisconsin. These planning efforts will be undertaken during
2004, forecasting needs for management and monitoring of the population
and the needs and interests of partner states where eastern migratory
whooping cranes spend time. The plans will address priorities for monitoring,
issues related to protection and management of birds and their habitats,
health care, and creation of a database for partnership use.
31 January 2004
Go here for the complete 62 page report
(PDF)
Home
(Partners)
WCEP
Home
|
