Media contact: Andy Bingle, Interpretive Programs Manager, 608-356-9462 est. 108
BARABOO, WI – The International Crane Foundation will celebrate its annual Cranes of the World Festival Saturday, August 5, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at its global headquarters in Baraboo, Wisconsin.
For many years a single Siberian Crane has returned to its wintering grounds in Fereydunkenar, Iran, a small town near the Caspian Sea. The locals call him “Omid,” meaning “Hope” in Farsi. This lonely Siberian Crane has indeed become the symbol of hope for Fereydunkenar and its wetlands. The presence of the Siberian Crane each winter has helped protect habitat for millions of other migratory birds, while benefiting local rice farmers, who supplement their winter income with traditional duck trapping.
Finally, the Stories of our Co-founder George Archibald in Print!
Earlier this summer, and with much anticipation, we traveled to Phnom Penh, Cambodia for the Workshop on Sarus Crane Conservation in Cambodia and Vietnam. The workshop comes at a critical time for the conservation of Eastern Sarus Cranes, as population data collected during the past two decades show a sharp decline in crane populations in the last two years. As a result, bold actions are urgently needed to reverse this downward trend.
The future of cranes was once as fragile as the delicate and graceful birds themselves.
In 1973, inspired by the elegance and plight of cranes, George Archibald co-founded a global center for crane conservation, the International Crane Foundation. Forty-three years later, his vision has given flight to grassroots conservation efforts around the world and a network of passionate leaders committed to the preservation of landscapes critical to the survival of cranes and people alike.
