WHOOPERS, 1: A big bird back from the brink ... we'll tell 
you more on Passport to Texas.

PTT from TPW and the SFWR Restoration Program

Once widespread across North American, the Whooping 
crane, the tallest bird in the US, nearly became extinct in 
the mid twentieth century due in part to habitat loss and 
unregulated hunting. 

By the time people started paying attention in the 1930s and 
40s, the whooping cranes were restricted only in a small 
population in Louisiana, and along the Texas coast in the 
winter. :12

Wildlife Biologist, Lee Ann Linam, says Whooping cranes 
landed on the endangered species list in 1967 ... with no 
time to spare.

And those numbers were unbelievably low at some point. That 
Texas population got down to 15 or 16 birds one winter. :06

Collaborative efforts between pubic and private 
organizations and landowners in the US and Canada, 
helped the species to rebound. Biologists expect more 
than 280 birds to winter at the Aransas National Wildlife 
Refuge this year.

It's so neat to be able to tell a come back story for endangered 
species. You know, so many times we are constantly fighting 
the threats that are hard to off-set, and species continue to 
languish somewhat, or at least struggle for recovery. And it's 
nice to show that, in this case, the endangered species act and 
the other efforts that went on to protect migratory waterfowl 
were able to bring a species back from the brink. :26

Find links to more information about Whooping Cranes 
when you visit passporttotexas.org.

That's our show ... with support from the SFWR Program ... 
providing funding for the Private Lands and Habitat 
Enhancement Program For Texas Parks and Wildlife ... I'm 
Cecilia Nasti. 


Total sound bite time:		 0:44.0
Maximum Script time:		 0:41.0 Suggested show time: 85.0 = 1:25