Feds to end ultralight-led whooping crane migration

Associated Press ^ | Jan. 24, 2016 2:06 PM EST

[Olog-hai]

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said it will stop supporting the use of ultralight aircraft to help young whooping cranes migrate from Wisconsin to Florida each fall. [...]

Operation Migration, the Canadian-based nonprofit group that has led the migrations for 15 years, has opposed the end of ultralights, saying the program has helped cranes survive. But Fish and Wildlife officials the birds haven't been successful in producing chicks and raising them in the wild.

The effort has spent more than $20 million to establish the flock that's distinct from a larger flock of whooping cranes migrating between the Texas Gulf Coast and northern Canada. ...

[Sacajaweau]

Mother nature charges nothing and they were doing just fine.

[amorphous]

Besides the egg problem, Obama needs the money for migration of Muslims.

[PIF]

Is that were the ultralights are going? To establish a new flock, separate from the other ones?

[amorphous]

I don't know for sure. Perhaps more can be learned from this documentary about it:

Flight of the Whooping Crane (1984)

Storyline

This documentary follows the migration of the endangered Whooping Crane from its wintering grounds in Texas to its nesting grounds in Canada's Northwest Territories. The film follows a group of wildlife biologists who are tracking the cranes using radio collars. The film includes beautiful images from the ground and stunning aerial photography of a crane family as they make their way northward on a perilous 3000 mile journey. The film is eloquently narrated by the late John Huston. Written by David F. Oyster, Producer/Writer

[PIF]

Will the new muslim migrants be growing wings so they can fly with the ultralights? Icarus was from that part of the world, so its not too much of a stretch that they will make or grow wings like he did and the ultralights will keep them from flying too high? Or will their bomb belts be too heavy?

[spokeshave]

Icarus was from that part of the world

Ha...he must have landed in some trees and survived....to add some powerful genes to the locals

Ikaria....the island of longevity

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPn79iHSuOw

[dsrtsage]

I have read that windmill farms have almost totally obliterated the whooping crane. Love how environmentalists are willing to ignore anything if it interferes with “their” cronyists

[IronJack]

the program has helped cranes survive.

However DID those poor cranes make it all those eons without the aid of the bunny-hugger air force?

[hadaclueonce]

About this time several years ago I went looking for Whooping Cranes and the Aransas Wildlife area, their winter home.

Scanned the area for hours looking for the big white birds, no luck.

Drove back into Rockport and there was two of them eating at a guy’s deer feeder.

They can adapt.

[Disambiguator]

But Fish and Wildlife officials the birds haven't been successful in producing chicks and raising them in the wild.

Well, they are Whooping Cranes and not Whoopee Cranes.

[ichabod1]

I’ll never forget the King of the Hill episode where Hank accidentally shot and killed a ‘whuppin crane’.

[hadaclueonce]

Hank accidentally shot and killed a ‘whuppin crane’

That really happened to a former VP for Enron. Said he mistook it for a snow goose in the fog.

Funny part of the story W appointed this guy to the Texas PUC. I cannot make this stuff up.

[Secret Agent Man]

If the liberals thnk this program is useful, and it might be in some ways, they have a lot of rich liberals and other diehards that can always put their own money towards its continuing operwtion.

[norton]

You must have misread about wind farms and migrating birds.
Apparently "The common thread is this lack of parenting skills." applies to every bird in America except Turkeys and Parakeets.