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Originally Posted by BuckingFastard
Does anyone know why they were becoming endangered in the first place? lack of adaptation?
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Overhunting, habitat loss, and they also take a while to reach adulthood and breeding age. Feathers from a whooper were fashionable (egrets and ibis actually used to be a LOT less common for this reason also). The population in SW La was a non-migratory flock and a huge white bird that is not off limits to shooting doesn't stand a chance in south La
The group here is deemed an 'experimental' flock.
I went to see them last year at White Lake and they have an fenced in area (no top) where they release the birds to adapt for a period of time (called a 'soft release'), they place feed in there and they come and go as they please until they are able to feed themselves. The researchers dress in all white and have a mask on so that the birds never 'see' a human, the person has a 'glove' that looks like a whooping cranes head and they are led around that way. When you go up to see them, you get out the boat and get in a blind so that they never see you. Also listened to a presentation on them this year and at the time they weren't breeding. There was a nest made but no eggs were laid, apparently this isn't uncommon behavior to make a false nest.
If anyone wants to see Sandhill Cranes, the largest population in Louisiana is right there in Holmwood and they should be there right now