Did you know that cranes are the most endangered family of birds in the world? Eleven of the world’s 15 species are at risk of extinction with the rarest being the North American Whooping Crane. Industrial development, pollution, war, and encroachments on their natural habitat have all contributed to the shrinking crane population worldwide.
Here in Wisconsin we have an important role in crane conservation. The International Crane Foundation in Baraboo has bred and guided whooping cranes on their migrations from the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in Wisconsin to their winter habitat in Florida’s Chassahowitzka Wildlife Refuge.
These guided migrations of young birds are led by a human pilot in a crane costume on an ultralight airplane—which is a truly amazing sight to witness. You can see for yourself in this clip of last fall’s migration.
In March of this year, Senator Russ Feingold (D-Wisconsin) and I introduced legislation to protect cranes throughout North America and the world. The Crane Conservation Act will encourage further crane conservation efforts by supporting initiatives and organizations dedicated to the protection of these beautiful birds and their ecosystems.
Some of the members of in Congress who first talked to me about the legislation, and are interested in joining our efforts, learned about the importance of protecting cranes from seeing clips of those flights.
I think people have begun to understand how close to extinction whooping cranes were just a couple of decades ago, and how our practices have led to a significant revival of these majestic birds.
With federal support, the work done in Baraboo can inspire and instruct conservationists around the world in their efforts to protect this magnificent species. This is the Wisconsin Idea in action and I’m proud to join Senator Feingold in introducing this important legislation.