Cranes

We are still in the Wisconsin Dells, and today we visited the International Crane Foundation facility nearby, in Baraboo.  I had no idea they had a facility here.  They keep all of the world's 15 species of crane here in order to breed and re-establish them in the wild.  Some are close to extinction, while others, like the sandhill crane, have increased steadily in numbers since their near-extinction in the 1930's.

The ICF has 240 acres at this location.  A small portion of the acreage has been set aside for educational purposes, where 1 or 2 adults from each species are enclosed for closer viewing by the public.  But a larger portion of the property is off-limits to visitors.  It is here that over 90 cranes, from all 15 species, live in a protected environment.  The goal is propagation and preparation for their successful return to each of their environments.

The grey-crowned and black-crowned cranes are the most striking.   We saw the grey-crowned crane first.  This particular bird was fun to watch.  Apparently she had been a pet, and had bonded with humans, men specifically.  She wasn't crazy about women, and would show her displeasure by fluffing her feathers:

My husband and two other men wandered over to a side fence.  She followed, and spread her wings to show how happy she was to see them!

Isn't she beautiful?

The black-crowned crane is very similar but has a black rather than grey back:

Here are a few more of the 15 species we saw, starting with the brulga crane:

Black-necked crane:

White-naped crane:

Many of these cranes are endangered because of vanishing habitat, including America's own whooping crane.  Those cranes that are primarily white are especially vulnerable because they are so visible, from a distance, to animals (including humans) that prey upon them.