For creating a self-sustaining eastern population of the endangered whooping cranes, after a deadly season at their Florida’s wintering grounds, more than 60 of the species are made to migrate back to their summer home in Wisconsin.
The journey-back of the cranes is a part of an effort by a team of U.S. and Canadian agencies and nonprofits — the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership. Many of the birds were trained to first learn the route by following the conservationists’ piloted ultra-light aircraft.
An Ontario, Canada-based nonprofit has used the aircraft for teaching nearly 90 birds the way to their wintering grounds. Thanks to the non-profit organization, Operation Migration.
Liz Condie, communications director for Operation Migration said,
Each year you’re anxious to make sure they get back safely. But with only a single surviving crane from last year’s new migratory group, there’s even more anxiety.