Weather Kills Whooping Cranes

Posted by Rosemary Drisdelle Feb 6, 2007

A devastating weather system in Florida that gave rise to killer tornadoes caused 20 human fatalities and wiped out 17 out of 18 Whooping Cranes from Operation Migration’s Class of 2006. The young cranes, which arrived in Florida from wisconsin in December following ultra light aircraft, were being held in a pen in the final weeks before they were to be released to explore their new environment. After the storm passed, 17 dead birds were retrieved from the pen.

It’s not known what killed the birds, but Operation Migration organizers speculate that it may have been a storm surge or a lightning strike. It’s also not known how the 18th bird ended up outside the pen unharmed, but his survival is a precious piece of good news amidst terrible loss. This bird has done it his way in the past: he separated from the rest at the end of the migration and was not retrieved for several days. Operation Migration and all its supporters must face the fact that a whole year’s work has been lost with the exception of the single surviving bird.

I followed the migration of the Class of 2006 here on Suite101. You can read the relevant posts and related articles here:

Oct 4, 2006: Whooping Cranes are Migrating

Oct 12, 2006: Inside a Whooping Crane Migration

Oct 18, 2006: News About Operation Migration

Oct 28, 2006: Update on Whooping Crane Migration

Nov 17, 2006: Whooping Crane Update

Dec 20, 2006: Whooping Cranes Arrive in Florida