This is a great bird blog. Jesse Smith
The only female whooping crane to have successfully hatched and raise a wild chick in the nine years of Operation Migration has been shot and killed during the annual ultralight migration, according to the St. Petersburg Times. The 7-year-old bird's body was found in Indiana on December 1, and a $2,500 reward is being offered for information leading to conviction of the individual(s) responsible. The penalty for the crime could include as much as a $25,000 fine and up to six months in prison.The chick hatched from the killed bird is doing well as part of the annual migration. It is the only wild chick to hatch and survive in the wild in more than a century in eastern North America. Because whooping cranes are so critically endangered, chicks are normally raised in captivity before joining the flock.
Operation migration has been plagued by other difficulties this year, including poor weather, flight accidents and vandalism. For more information on the program, including how you can help, visit OperationMigration.org.
Whooping Crane
Photo © Lisa Lenscap
No comments:
Post a Comment