Whooping Crane Essay

The Whooping Crane is known to be one of the tallest birds in North America. The size of the Whooping Crane makes it unique because it stands as high as an average human which is about 5’4” and has a wingspan of 6’6” to 8ft. These birds have a long Trachea which raps into its sternum so they can honk over marshes and you can hear them up to one and a half miles away. Because Whooping Cranes are so large they require a habitat that will accommodate their size. When the humans settled long ago in the Northern American Prairies, they drained big and small marshes for more dry land for their crops and pastures therefore it destroyed the Whooping Cranes homes which is one of the reasons why it is on the endangered species list. In the previous

century the Whooping cranes population fell to 14 adult birds. Presently through the efforts of conservation, It is reported that there are approximately 383 birds in the wild.

The Whooping Crane has suffered a huge decline in its population, this is caused by overhunting and habitat loss.

The reason why these birds were hunted was because of their meat and their long beautiful feathers that were used for hats and special clothing back in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Humans have also been accused of stealing the female's eggs out of their nest because collectors pay a lot of money for the rare egg. Because the population of this bird has declined dramatically, these birds are considered endangered in the wild.

Presently, the only habitat for these birds in the wild in the winter time are the few remaining marshes along the Texas Coast. In the summertime, these Whooping Cranes take up residence along the Alberta-Northwest Territories border. Whooping Cranes have a lifespan of about 22-30 years. Every year pairs usually mate and return to the same nest.

The Government Of Canada hires people to work at National Wildlife Refuges to maintain protected land for endangered species. These protected lands ensure that the Whooping Crane has a suitable habitat to survive in because the best way to protect endangered species is to protect where they live. In 2013, Canada's Environment Minister announced that $20,000 was donated to the Calgary Zoo for their Whooping Crane Captive-Breeding Program. Through the efforts of the Canadian and the American Governments it is reported that there are approximately 300 birds in the Wood Buffalo National

Park.

In conclusion, this magnificent bird was saved from extinction due to the conservation efforts of the Canadian and U.S governments to build a safe habitat to rebuild its flock. This habitat is also known as a National Wildlife Refuge and it houses many endangered species. The Whooping Crane itself is now classified as an endangered species but hopefully one day there will be such an increase in this bird's population that they will be removed from the endangered list.