Aransas-Wood Buffalo Archives - Friends of the Wild Whoopers

Below is an excerpt from an article recently published in Eye on Nature‘s Spring 2015 issue. Eye on Nature is a Texas Parks and Wildlife publication.

You Gotta Dance With the One Who Brung Ya

By Chester McConnell, Friends of the Wild Whoopers

Known as the Aransas-Wood Buffalo (AWBP) population because of the winter and summer habitats they use, this self-sustaining population nests and rear their chicks in Canada’s Wood Buffalo National Park (WBNP). A few weeks after the chicks fledge, they migrate with their parents 2500 miles to ANWR on the Texas coast where they spend the winter months.

The most significant cause of decline in the Whooping Crane population came as a result of habitat loss. Millions of acres of wetlands were drained for agricultural interests destroying virtually all of their nesting habitats except those in WBNP.

Private conservation organizations and government officials finally recognized the plight of the Whooping Cranes in the 1940s and initiated efforts to protect and manage the birds. As a result, the population of the remaining wild flock increased over the following 60 years. Today there are approximately 300 birds in this population.

With this increase in numbers, the Whooping Cranes are running out of secure wintering habitats along the Texas coast and secure stop-over-points along the migration route. Presently, only about half of the occupied wintering habitat is within the safeguarded areas of the ANWR complex. Land development and increased land use intensity along the migration route is reducing even more wetland habitats.

Click on the link to read the entire article, You Gotta Dance With the One Who Brung Ya.

friendsofthewildwhoopers.org

***** FOTWW’s mission is to help preserve and protect the Aransas/Wood Buffalo
population of wild whooping cranes and their habitat. *****
Friends of the Wild Whoopers is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization.

Date: March 16, 2015
Contact: Wade Harrell, 361/286-3559, wade_harrell@fws.gov; Beth Ullenberg, 505/248-6638, beth_ullenberg@fws.gov .

Whooping cranes on Texas coast where they live during winter. More secure, quality habitats will be need in Texas soon to meet the needs of these endangered birds.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has completed aerial surveys of the Aransas-Wood Buffalo whooping crane population, the only surviving wild population of whooping cranes in the world. Wade Harrell, U.S. Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator told Friends of the Wild Whoopers that, “Preliminary survey data indicated 308 whooping cranes, including 39 juveniles, in the primary survey area (approximately 153,200 acres) centered on Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. Six birds were spotted outside the primary survey area.” The survey shows an upward trend in whooping crane abundance over the last four years.

Whooping cranes are one of the rarest birds in North America and are highly endangered. Cranes can survive more than twenty-five years in the wild. Adults generally reach reproductive age at four or five years, and then lay two eggs, usually rearing only one chick.

“Recruitment of young birds into the adult population is extremely important to the recovery of the species,” stated Wade Harrell, U.S. Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator. “We were thrilled to see preliminary survey numbers included 39 juvenile birds.”

More information about the survey and whooping cranes can be found on the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge website at http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Aransas/ or by calling (361) 286-3559.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals, and commitment to public service.

For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov. Connect with our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/usfws, follow our tweets at www.twitter.com/usfwshq, watch our YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/usfws and download photos from our Flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwshq. – http://www.southwest.fws.gov

friendsofthewildwhoopers.org