Ultralight Migration Leads 14 Endangered Whooping Cranes over the Skies of Kentucky
Ultralight-led whooping cranes fly from Cumberland County, IL to Union County, KY on Thanksgiving Day 2008. Photo by Operation Migration
Fourteen whooping crane chicks reached Union County, Kentucky, on Thanksgiving Day on their ultralight-guided migration from Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in central Wisconsin to Chassahowitzka and St. Marks National Wildlife Refuges along Florida's Gulf Coast. These majestic birds, the tallest in North America, left Necedah refuge on Oct. 17 following four ultralight aircraft. Kentucky is one of the seven states the ultralight-guided migration will fly over before reaching Florida. The Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership, an international coalition of public and private groups, is conducting this project, now in its eighth year, in an effort to reintroduce this endangered species in eastern North America. Over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, on Nov. 29, on migration day 44, favorable weather allowed them to continue their southward journey to Marshall County, Kentucky, with a 63-mile, two-hour flight.
Biologists help restore dunes, save wildlife
Alabama Field Office supervisor Rob Tawes joins another organizer to address a crowd of more than 60 people.Credit: Denise Rowell, USFWS
Under the misty, overcast sky, Alabama Field Office supervisor Rob Tawes grabbed a cart of plants from the back of a truck, and hauled them to the beach nearby. The plants came in by the thousands….sea oats, morning glory, beach elder, and sea purslane just to name a few. This vegetation was about to get a new home, and help endangered species on the beaches of Fort Morgan.
Fort Morgan is a small community west of Gulf Shores. Named after a Civil War fort, people who live there believe in keeping the natural beauty of the beach. But living in paradise has come with a price. Hurricanes such as Ivan, Katrina, and Gustav have practically wiped out parts of the beach. Homes have been destroyed, and scattered sand has made the roads of Fort Morgan nearly impassable. While residents are trying to keep their vulnerable beachfront homes in tact, many local species no longer have homes. The sand dunes, which house unique wildlife such as the Alabama beach mouse, were eradicated by the storms.
