Ultralight-led Cranes Begin Migration, October 5, 2006
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Whooper
Reintroduction Updates
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| Chris
Gullikson, pilot with Operation Migration, leads the cranes to their
first migration stopover site. Photo by Joan Garland, ICF |
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| Chris
Gullikson, pilot with Operation Migration, leads the cranes to their
first migration stopover site. Photo by Joan Garland, ICF |
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| Chris
Gullikson, pilot with Operation Migration, leads the cranes to their
first migration stopover site. Photo by Joan Garland, ICF |
Current Trip:
Fall 2006: Eastern Whooping
Crane Migration
Entry October 5
Ultralight-led Cranes
Begin Migration, October 5, 2006
Eighteen young whooping cranes began their ultralight-led migration
from central Wisconsin’s Necedah National Wildlife Refuge
today – the
sixth group of birds to take part in this landmark reintroduction
project led by the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP), an
international coalition of public and private groups.
At
about 7:30 a.m., four ultralight aircraft and 18 juvenile whooping
cranes took to the air for the first leg of the 1,228-mile journey to
the birds’ wintering habitat at the Chassahowitzka National
Wildlife
Refuge along Florida's Gulf Coast.
Seventeen cranes followed
behind three aircraft and landed at the first stopover site
approximately five miles south of the refuge. The remaining bird landed
back at the refuge but was later picked up by one of the ultralights
and followed the aircraft to the stopover site.
This is the
earliest date the cranes have left the Necedah NWR in the
project’s six
year history. On average, the migration usually begins around October
14.
“Each fall our year’s work culminates in the
excitement of
migration,” said Joe Duff co-founder, CEO and senior pilot
for
Operation Migration, the WCEP partner that leads the ultralight
migration. “This season, one unique chick in the Class of
’06 will make
the migration extra special. Young 2-06 was hatched in captivity from
an egg laid by parents from the ultralight-led Class of 2002 when
through inexperience, they abandoned their nest.
“As a result,
this year, to our usual role as surrogate parents, we have the added
joy of acting as surrogate grandparents,” Duff continued.
“2-06’s safe
arrival in Florida will mark another project milestone; the first
second generation whooping crane to be taught a migration
route.”
Crane
2-06 is the first crane hatched from the reintroduced eastern migratory
whooping crane population. Hatched on May 7, at the U.S. Geological
Survey’s Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, Md.,
2-06’s
parents are whooping cranes 13 (a male) and 18 (a female) from the
ultralight-led crane Class of 2002.
In addition to the 18
birds being led south by ultralights, biologists from ICF and the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service are rearing five whooping cranes at Necedah
NWR. The birds will be released in the company of older cranes in hopes
that the young whooping cranes learn the migration route, part of the
Direct Autumn Release (DAR) program, which supplements the successful
ultralight migrations. One of the cranes sustained a wing injury on
October 2. The bird is recovering well, but it is unknown at this time
if he will be released this fall.
Update compiled by Joan Garland, Acting Director of Education.
This email is generated by the International Crane Foundation located
at E11376 Shady Lane Road, Baraboo, WI. 53913. Visit our website!
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