Friends of the Wild Whoopers Inc

The Whooping Crane “stopover habitat” project Management Team travels to the seven states along the Central Flyway to evaluate potential suitable sites on military lands, Indian Reservations, and US Army Corps of Engineers lakes. Habitat management plans are prepared for each suitable site. Stopover habitats are essential components of the ecosystems needs of Whooping Cranes. Whooping cranes cannot fly the total 2,500 mile distance without stopping to feed and rest during these migrations from Wood Buffalo National Park in Alberta Canada and Aransas NWR on the Texas Gulf Coast. They need many “stopover habitats” along the migration corridor to fulfill their needs and these are vital components in attempts to assist the only remaining wild Whooping Crane population on the planet. For example, Friends of the Wild Whoopers has recently completed evaluations of potential Whooping Crane “stopover habitats” on four additional Corps lakes. This brings the total assessments in Texas alone to fifteen lakes on Corps property and two hundred and ninety-eight ponds of various sizes (1/2 ac. to 4 ac.) on seven military bases.