A flock of endangered whooping cranes will soon move into their winter home at the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge.
The 11 cranes are currently flying from Wisconsin to Florida as part of a federal program to rebuild the bird’s population.
The cranes left Wisconsin in October trailing three ultralight aircraft; the cranes have now traveled 463 miles and have another 795 miles to go.
This is the 10th group of birds to take part in a landmark project led by the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership.
The birds are some of the most endangered in the world.
In 1950 there were estimated to be only 16 whooping cranes remaining in the wild.
Presently there are approximately 525 birds in existence, about 96 in the wild in eastern North America.
The cranes will travel through Wisconsin, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia to reach the birds’ wintering habitats at Chassahowitzka and St. Marks National Wildlife Refuges in Florida.
The St. Marks refuge has a three-acre pen with two ponds to provide protective habitat for the birds where they will stay until they migrate back to Wisconsin sometime around the end of March.
The St. Marks refuge has a three-acre pen with two ponds to provide protective habitat for the birds where they will stay until they migrate back to Wisconsin sometime around the end of March.
If you would like to se the cranes in action, follow the link below.
http://www.oysterradio.com e-mail manager@oysterradio.com with comments
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