Last fall, Friends of the Wild Whoopers (FOTWW) initiated a “stopover” habitat project to help Whooping Cranes during their two annual migrations between Canada and the Texas coast. Stopover habitats are essential so Whooping Cranes can rest and feed during their long migrations. After visiting eight military bases, seventy “ponds” had been determined to be “whooper friendly” stopover habitats. And more “ponds” on these same bases can become good habitats with proper management. More military bases will soon be visited by Friends of the Wild Whoopers and Gulf Coast Bird Observatory personnel to continue the project.
FOTWW is pleased that the “stopover” habitat project has caught the interest of our friends in Canada.
U.S. military helps secure land for migrating whooping cranes
With plenty of open space, military bases make ideal habitat for resting whooping cranes
“After years at the brink of extinction, whooping cranes are facing a new challenge.
The ponds they use to rest and refuel on their 4,000-kilometre migration from Wood Buffalo National Park, which straddles the N.W.T.-Alberta border, to Arkansas and Texas are disappearing.
But a group that fights for the preservation of whooping crane habitat has come across a military solution of sorts.
“We contacted the military personnel and asked if they could help us out by selecting some of their ponds to be useful to be stopover habitat for whooping cranes,” said Chester McConnell, an Alabama-based wildlife biologist with Friends of the Wild Whoopers.”
To read CBC News’ article in its entirety, click here.
***** 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.
