Boreal forest (taiga)
Boreal forests, or taiga,
represent the largest terrestial
biome. Occuring between 50
and 60 degrees north latitudes,
boreal forests can be found in
the broad belt of Eurasia and
North America: two-thirds in
Siberia with the rest in
Scandinavia, Alaska, and
From left: taiga in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada; forest west of Stockholm,
Canada. Seasons are divided
Sweden.
into short, moist, and
moderately warm summers
and long, cold, and dry winters. The length of the growing season in boreal forests is 130 days.
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Temperatures are very low.
Precipitation is primarily in the form of snow, 40-100 cm annually.
Soil is thin, nutrient-poor, and acidic.
Canopy permits low light penetration, and as a result, understory is limited.
Flora consist mostly of cold-tolerant evergreen conifers with needle-like leaves, such as
pine, fir, and spruce.
Fauna include woodpeckers, hawks, moose, bear, weasel, lynx, fox, wolf, deer, hares,
chipmunks, shrews, and bats.
Current extensive logging in boreal forests may soon cause their disappearance.
Source: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/forests.php
Whooping Crane
http://www.worldbookonline.com/student/article?id=ar602660&st=whooping+crane
Endangered whooping cranes have had
unusual year in 2012
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Special to the Times Record News
Posted March 29, 2012 at midnight
AUSTIN — It's been an unusual year for whooping cranes in Texas, and the
endangered species' spring migration is the latest example. Researchers report several
whooping crane families initiated their spring migration nearly a month earlier than usual,
with some birds already having reached South Dakota.
Texans are asked to report sightings of these large white birds as they progress along
their migration route northward from the coast through Central Texas and the Wichita
Falls area.
After a winter distribution that surprised biologists and kept birders enchanted with
unprecedented sighting opportunities for one of North America's most ancient bird
species, the unusually early start of the migration to nesting grounds in Canada does not
surprise Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologist Lee Ann Linam.
"This winter seemed to produce a 'perfect storm' of mild winter weather, reduced food
sources on the Texas coast and crowding in an expanding whooping crane population,
which led whooping cranes to explore new wintering areas," Linam said. "Those same
conditions have likely provided the impetus for an early start of their 1,500-mile spring
migration."
Texas provides wintering habitat for the only self-sustaining population of whooping
cranes in the world. Traditionally, whooping cranes spend December through March in
coastal wetlands on and near Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, between Rockport and
Port Lavaca. In recent years, whoopers have slowly expanded their winter range —
usually using coastal marshlands adjacent to already occupied areas.
However, in 2011-12, whoopers made significant expansions southward and westward
of Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, and one whooping crane apparently spent the
winter with sandhill cranes in upland habitats near El Campo. Nine whooping cranes,
including six adults and three chicks, spent most of the winter near Granger Lake in
Central Texas.
Source: http://www.timesrecordnews.com/news/2012/mar/29/endangered-whooping-cranes-have-had-unusual-year/
S
ource : http://www.prairiefirenewspaper.com/files/201009-whooping-crane-nebraska-v-platte-river.gif
What We Do
The Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP) is a group of agencies, non-profit
organizations and individuals, formed to restore a migratory population of whooping
cranes to eastern North America. There are currently 96 whooping cranes in the
Eastern migratory population as a result of WCEP's efforts.
Source: http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2005/02/craneflightLG.jpg
Whooping Cranes
The whooping crane (Grus americana) is a critically imperiled North American
crane species with fewer than 250 birds in a single wild population that migrates
between northwestern Canada and the Gulf Coast of Texas. The International
Whooping Crane Recovery Team has recommended the establishment of additional
populations to safeguard against extinction.
Raising Cranes
Whooping cranes being released in this reintroduction project come from captive
whooping crane flocks in Maryland, Wisconsin, and Alberta. Eggs laid by captive
birds are hatched in incubators and chicks are then raised by project personnel
under strict protocols designed to prevent the chicks from imprinting on
humans. To ensure the birds remain wild, handlers adhere to a no-talking rule and
wear costumes designed to mask the human form while in the birds' presence.
Whooping crane biologist, Dr. Richard Urbanek, holds the wild whooping crane chick
as it is being processed for banding.
Photo by International Crane Foundation; Eva Szyszkoski
Training and Releasing Cranes
The whooping crane chicks are transported to Wisconsin in June where they are
conditioned to follow ultralight aircraft in preparation for their fall migration to
wintering grounds in Florida. Pilots lead the birds on training flights over the refuge
throughout the summer to build the birds' stamina. Every year since 2001, a class
of cranes has been led on their first migration south from Wisconsin to Florida's Gulf
Coast.
Beginning in 2005 the ultralight-led migration was supplemented with a second
reintroduction technique called Direct Autumn Release (DAR). Young cranes are
released in small groups with wild whooping cranes, with the intent that they will
learn the migration route from these older, more experienced birds. After
learning the migration route by following the ultralight aircraft or older cranes to
the wintering areas, the young cranes make the return flight to their summering
grounds in the north on their own the following spring.
Source: http://www.bringbackthecranes.org/whatwedo/index.html
Operation Ultralight
As a young boy, William Lishman joined the Royal Canadian Air Cadets
because he wanted to fly. But a mandatory eye test revealed he was colour
blind, stopping him from becoming a conventional pilot. So, he decided to
become an unconventional one. He first learned to fly hang gliders, then
followed in the footsteps of the father of ultralights, John Moody, and
converted his Easy Riser hang glider into one of the first ultralight aircraft.
After three years of trial and error, in 1988 Lishman succeeded in leading a
flock of 12 Canada geese on flights around his home. In doing so, he made
ornithological and aviation history. His first formation flights with the geese
were documented in his first film, C'mon Geese, which won six international
awards.
In 1990 while working with Dr. William Sladen from the Airlie Center in
Warrenton, Virginia, Lishman set out to attempt the first cross-country
migration with Canada Geese. However, permits were not forthcoming and
the project was curtailed.
In the fall of 1992, Dr. William Sladen hosted a meeting at the Airlie Center
between Dr. George Gee and Dr. David Ellis from the Patuxent Wildlife
Research Center, Dr George Archibald from the International Crane
Foundation, and William Lishman. It was decided that the best use of
Lishman's research would be to apply it toward establishing a backup
migratory flock of Whooping cranes. Before any work could be conducted
with Whooping cranes the group of scientists needed proof that birds could
learn migration routes from airplanes. The first step: A experiment with nonendangered Canada geese.
In 1993 proper permits where obtained and funds were borrowed from the
Lishman Companies to attempt this ground-breaking migration experiment.
At that time Lishman realized there would be only one attempt to make this
experiment work and so he enlisted his friend, and fellow ultralight pilot, Joe
Duff as a back-up pilot. Together they raised and led 18 Canada geese 400
miles from Lishman's property in Ontario to the Airlie Center in Virginia.
Those birds returned to Lishman's home airstrip in the spring of 1994 - once
again making history and setting the stage for further ultralight-led migration
studies.
To raise funds for future migration studies, Lishman and Duff formalized their
efforts in 1994 by founding Operation Migration, a non-profit organization
registered as a charity in both Canada and the United States. Since then, the
Operation Migration team has conducted numerous migration studies leading
three species of birds.
In 1995, Lishman and Duff assisted in the making of Columbia Pictures' hit
film Fly Away Home, which was directed by Carroll Ballard. Much of the film
was inspired by Lishman's autobiography, Father Goose, and many of the
shots were re-makes of C'mon Geese.
Today, over 40 Whooping cranes are migrating in eastern North America
brought about by the efforts of Operation Migration and their partners in the
Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership.
Source: http://www.operationmigration.org/work_story.html
Source : http://www.operationmigration.org/