Saving Cranes by Jim Parks on Creators.com

Recently

Cloning the Extinct? Editor's Note: The Today's Green Minute column is not available this week. The following column originally was published in December 2008. It's possible that a baby wooly mammoth carcass that Russian scientists discovered in 2007 — which has …Read more. Clean Air Equals Longer Life Editor's Note: The Today's Green Minute column is not available this week. The following column originally was published in May 2009. If you doubt that clean air has an effect on your health, now there's scientific proof that you're wrong. Cleaner U.…Read more. LED Price Reduction Editor's Note: The Today's Green Minute column is not available this week. The following column originally was published in November 2009. Panasonic's LEDs received some nice buzz at the Japanese electronics fair, CEATEC — and it all centers …Read more. Water Footprint Editor's Note: The Today's Green Minute column is not available this week. The following column originally was published in December 2009. As the public's understanding of the carbon footprint increases, a new aspect — the water footprint …Read more.

Saving Cranes

The majestic whooping cranes of North America are critically endangered, with less than 250 birds migrating between Canada and Texas. But an extraordinary effort is being waged to establish another flock east of the Mississippi. The work is being carried out by a stitched-together group of agencies, nonprofits, state governments and individuals — called "The Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership."

Since the crane mortality rate is high, the organization wants to quickly get the population as large as possible. Eggs are obtained from captive birds, and the chicks are meticulously raised by humans in bird costumes (complete with bird puppet heads on their hands, so the chicks aren't imprinted by humans).

Ultralight planes lead the birds in flying exercises that culminate in an Ultralight-led fall migration from Wisconsin to their winter home in Florida.

Result? The eastern flock population now stands at a proud 97.

Questions can be sent to Jim Parks at jrparks@mac.com. To view the online "Today's Green Minute" videos, go to http://todaysgreenminute.com/. To find out more about Jim Parks and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.