Annual USFWS aerial surveys estimate 540 Whooping Cranes near Aransas NWR in 2025–2026 — roughly flat with last year’s estimate of 557 — as the species enters its tenth year above 500 individuals.

From 2019-2024, our team monitored 81 Whooping Crane nests across Wisconsin to determine the main predators of the population’s eggs.

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.

Deep in northern Rwanda lies Rugezi Marsh, a 6,735-hectare high-altitude peatland that plays a crucial role in both biodiversity and people’s daily lives. The marsh is not only a breeding site for more than 25% of Rwanda’s Grey Crowned Crane population, but it also regulates the water flow to Burera and Ruhondo lakes—vital sources of the country’s hydroelectric power. 

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.

How do you secure a floodplain of international significance for wildlife and people, reverse ecological degradation, and promote sustainable development and livelihoods for one million Zambians?

There is growing concern for the future of South Africa’s national bird, the Blue Crane, which has been uplisted from Near Threatened to Vulnerable in the Regional Red Data Book 2025. The uplisting reflects a high risk of extinction for the species in the wild.

How can we ensure that more chicks in this Whooping Crane Eastern Migratory Population survive to adulthood? First, we need to better understand what factors influence chick survival in the wild.

Earlier this month, the International Crane Foundation, along with government officials, partners, universities, and others, celebrated the project’s past successes and introduced future conservation plans – including the Foundation’s registration as an authorized NGO in Rwanda and a new office space in Kigali.