Initiative: Species Reintroduction

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For decades, conservationists have worked to combat threats that nearly drove the Whooping Crane to extinction. Their population hit a historic low of only 21 individuals in the wild in the 1940s. As part of the effort to save the species, a population of migratory Whooping Cranes was reintroduced to Wisconsin in 2001, known as the Eastern Migratory Population, or EMP. Today, the EMP consists of around 70 individuals who spend their summers in Wisconsin before migrating further south for the winter, mostly in Alabama and Indiana. Through this reintroduction and countless other conservation measures, there are now about 700 Whooping Cranes in the wild in three populations. Despite this impressive growth, threats continue to emerge that threaten the species’ survival, and these must be met with creative research, dedicated partnerships, and decisive action to safeguard the future of Whooping Cranes.

Initiative: Species Reintroduction

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Our teams from Texas and Wisconsin collaborated to compile all available information on over-summering on the wintering grounds for the two current migratory Whooping Crane populations: the Aransas Wood Buffalo Population and the Eastern Migratory Population.

Initiative: Species Reintroduction

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An Endangered Whooping Crane, lovingly named “Ducky,” died earlier this month due to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). The loss marks the first confirmed death of a Whooping Crane due to HPAI.

Initiative: Species Reintroduction

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Over the past five years, our aviculture staff has been working to strategically increase the number of Sarus Cranes in our residential flock at our Global Headquarters, aiming to meet our specific collection goals for this species. We acquired an established pair, Yuva and Minu, to serve as our Sarus Crane ambassadors on exhibit at the Crane Discovery Center.