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WHOOPING CRANE REINTRODUCTION
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Whooping Cranes from the 2001 and 2002 Reintroductions

Activity During October 26 - Nov. 1, 2003
 Provided by the International Crane Foundation:
R. P. Urbanek, L. E. A. Fondow, and C. D. Satyshur

Summary of the whereabouts of the 20 whooping cranes from the 2001 and 2002 reintroductions:

 

Sixteen of the whooping cranes are in or near Necedah National Wildlife Refuge, which is the Core Reintroduction Area.

wOne whooping crane is at Horicon National Wildlife Refuge

wThree cranes are near the Mississippi River in Iowa and Illinois:

 

Activities of 2001 cranes:

No. 1-Remained at Necedah NWR, sometimes with other whooping cranes, but most often alone or with sandhills.
No. 2-Remained at Necedah NWR with a large group of sandhill cranes.
No. 5-Roosting in central Wisconsin wetlands with Nos. 4 and 18 from 2002
No. 6-Confirmed sighting in a staging flock of some 400 sandhill cranes in central Wisconsin.
No. 7-Last reported Oct. 11 at Horicon NWR. Vegetation and lack of functional transmitter make it hard to track her.

 

Activities of 2002 cranes:

No. 1-Remained with a staging flock of about 200 sandhill cranes in central Wisconsin
No. 2-Associated with sandhills in central Wisconsin along with No. 13.
No. 3-Remained in northeastern Iowa with No. 15
No. 4-Roosted in central Wisconsin wetlands along with No. 5 from 2001 and No. 18 from 2002.
No. 5-At Necedah NWR with Nos. 8, 16 and 17 from 2002 and No. 2 from 2001
No. 8-Remained at Necedah with Nos. 5, 16, 17 and No. 2 from 2001.
No. 9-Foraged with sandhill cranes in central Wisconsin on October 19; on the 20th she moved to a cranberry reservoir with a small number of sandhills, and then returned to roost on Necedah NWR.
No. 11-Roosting on Necedah NWR with No. 12
No. 12-Roosting on Necedah NWR with No. 11
No. 13-Associated with sandhills in central Wisconsin along with No. 2
No. 14-Remained on Upper Mississippi National Wildlife and Fish Refuge in northwest Illinois
No. 15-Remained in northeastern Iowa with No. 3
No. 16-Remained at Necedah with Nos. 5, 8, 17 and No. 2 from 2001.
No. 17-Remained at Necedah with Nos. 5, 8, 16 and No. 2 from 2001.
No. 18-Roosted in central Wisconsin wetlands with No. 5 from 2001 and No. 4 from 2002.

 

For information on the 2003 ultralight-led fall migration, go to:
2003 Fall Migration Map

 

 

This Whooping Crane Migratory Reintroduction project involves many public and private partners, sponsors, and donors who give their time, money or resources in support. Check out how you can help reintroduce migratory whooping cranes to eastern North America.