Two Whooping Cranes strike a pose in a harvested sweet corn field in Dodge County, Wisconsin. Paul Hettenhaus

Below is the most recent update for the Eastern Migratory Population of Whooping Cranes. In September, the first captive-reared crane has been released! A huge thank-you to the staff of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Departments of Natural Resources of flyway states, the International Crane Foundation, and all the volunteers who help us keep track of the cranes throughout the year. We appreciate your contribution to the recovery of the Whooping Crane Eastern Migratory Population. This report was produced by the International Crane Foundation.

Four Oklahoman men were sentenced last week by the United States Attorney’s Office in Oklahoma for the shocking killing of four Whooping Cranes in Nov. 2021. Their sentencing includes restitution totaling $68,000 to the International Crane Foundation, forfeiture of firearms, and nationwide loss of hunting privileges for five years.

According to the most recent estimates from Environment and Climate Change, Canada, this year’s wildfires in the Northwest Territories of Canada have impacted nearly 3 million hectares – an area greater than three times the size of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.

Follow the annual movements of 19 Whooping Cranes as they journey between their wintering grounds along the Texas Gulf Coast to their breeding areas in Wood Buffalo National Park, Canada.