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.

In a landmark conservation achievement for the Texas coast, a coalition of partners at the International Crane Foundation, The Conservation Fund, and the Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program has secured permanent protection for more than 3,300 acres of high-priority wintering habitat for the federally endangered Whooping Crane, one of North America’s rarest and most endangered birds.

New Visitor Center in Okhotsk Perevoz, Yakutia, established for migratory bird research and education activities.

For over 70 years, scientists and conservationists have come to understand the habitat needs of the Aransas-Wood Buffalo Population of Whooping Cranes. However, Whooping Cranes continue to surprise us, and they are increasingly using habitat away from the coast.

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.

Zambia holds a special place in global crane conservation. The country hosts more than half of the world’s Vulnerable Wattled Crane (Bugeranus carunculatus) population, alongside the Endangered Grey Crowned Crane (Balearica regulorum). These iconic birds depend on vast wetlands such as the Kafue Flats, Bangweulu Wetlands, Liuwa Plain National Park, Busanga Swamps, and Barotse Floodplains for their survival. 

How can we better understand renesting behavior and the potential it plays in maximizing the breeding season for this endangered species?

As South Africa celebrates Heritage Month, and ahead of marking Heritage Day on September 24, the Endangered Wildlife Trust/International Crane Foundation partnership has launched its new Blue Crane project focusing on habitat restoration, addressing threats posed by infrastructure, collaborating with partners such as farmers, and monitoring and research.

The International Crane Foundation is launching a bold new initiative to purchase and restore a strategic property on the Texas Gulf Coast to manage as a Whooping Crane sanctuary.