Report information
In the 1940s, the population of Whooping Cranes was down to just 15 birds. "Operation Migration" is a project that has been boosting numbers by hand-rearing Whooping Crane chicks and teaching them their migration since 2001.
Whooping Cranes really were on the brink of extinction and the number in the wild is still worringly low. "Operation Migration" has been targetting the Eastern migratory population, which only has 77 members, excluding this year's 14 new chicks. Scientists believe that if this population reaches 125, with 25 breeding pairs, it can be self-sustaining. In order to reach this number, 5 captive breeding centres have been established and Whooping Crane chicks are hand-reared by costumed handlers.
Once they are able to fly they are shipped out to central Wisconsin to begin their flight training. Their first journey is the most important in terms of migration because the first location they see from the air they consider "home" to which they will later migrate back.
Without a parent Whooping Crane to lead the way, the chicks follow a small aircraft known as a microlight. They take off as soon as the sun comes up and usually fly between 50 and 60 miles a day. They probably learn the migration route by remembering visual landmarks they see from the air so they only have to be shown the the way to Florida once. Come spring, they fly back towards Wisconsin, all on their own.
On the 17th October, 14 chicks set off from Winsconsin on their first migration. In the last 39 days they have only flown 6 times due to poor weather conditions but they have now reached Illinois. They have covered 298 of the 1285 miles to Florida but will they make it to Florida before the end of our series (16th December)?
All photographs by "Operation Migration".
Further Reading:
Find out where they are right now at "Operation Migration"