Operation Migration Partnership Since 2001 The Whooping Crane - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The Power Of Flight and Operation Migration

Partnership Since 2001 The Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP) has been reintroducing Whooping cranes into the Eastern Flyway O peration Migration and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation are founding members of WCEP

Partnership Other partners include ... Without the support of Southern Company and the The International Crane Foundation Power Of Flight, the Whooping cranes that now migrate between The US Fish and Wildlife Service Wisconsin and Florida would not exist USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center USGS National Wildlife Health Center Wisconsin Dept of Natural Resources Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin The Whooping Crane Recovery Team

Success In 2006 That chick is now The chick fledged a pair of reintroduced paired with another and in the fall, Whooping cranes reintroduced bird. followed its parents produced the first wild, along the same migratory chick to We hope they will route they learned hatch in the US successfully breed from the ultralight since the last nest this spring . aircraft was reported in the 1870’s

Problems Unfortunately, only 5 chicks have fledged so far. The most likely cause is a large population of blackflies at Necedah NWR. They force the birds off their nests during incubation.

Solutions Meanwhile a new site was Research continues at Necedah and we are hopeful developed outside the range of for an abundant year this spring as the birds gain blackflies more parental experience

Accomplishments WCEP is currently developing a five year strategic plan to build the population until it reaches a self sustaining level. This spring we expect up to 36 pairs . There are now over 100 Whooping cranes migrating in the eastern flyway where none have existed for over 100 years

Partnering in education The Power of Flight also supports our education initiative Through partner, Journey North we reach over one million All supported by Southern Company, NFWF and the Each year our education team conducts school students a year with lesson plans on an interactive website. Power of Flight presentations along the migration route