Whooping Cranes are one of our most endangered birds. Cousins to the Sandhill Crane, these majestic, tall birds are a major highlight to any birders lifelist (or high on the wanted to see list). Sometimes, birders take for granted the great efforts to bring them back from the brink of extinction.
Many wonderful people put a lot of hard work into Whooping Crane conservation and Whooper Happenings is a podcast that has detailed information on the progress of Whooping Crane migration.
To subscribe to the podcast you need iTunes (a free download) and then just search in the “store” for Whooper Happenings and subscribe (for free). It’s that easy!!
Whooper Happenings #25 has some wonderful information about new efforts to protect the cranes in Florida. This is in response to last year’s sad tragedy caused from hurricane related floods.
Please consider giving a donation to Operation Migration to help the Whooping Cranes!
Photos courtesy of Mark Chenoweth, creator of Whooper Happenings. The cranes are from the Class of 2007 and were taken at Necedah NWR in Wisconsin.
I’ve always appreciated the work the Audubon Zoo (in New Orleans,) has been doing toward breeding these cranes & educating people about the issue. Sad that it must be done, of course, but kudos to those doing it!
Lana – Definitely sad they need so much help but definitely not as sad as if there were none to help at all…
Great point about the Audubon Zoo… some people view zoos as places of animal entrapment when in reality they are places of learning and animal protection.