Where are the cranes used for the reintroduction being reared?
The crane chicks are being captive-reared at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Patuxent Wildlife Research Center until they are 40 to 60 days old. Training started from just before hatch with exposure of the eggs to sounds of crane calls and ultralight aircraft engine noise. At Patuxent, chicks will be trained to follow the ultralights in the protected captive environment and later in the out-of-doors pens at the center. When the chicks no longer need heat and protection from the elements, they will be moved to Necedah National Wildlife Refuge for flight training behind the ultralight. What happens to the chicks after they arrive at Necedah National Wildlife Refuge? To promote wildness in the birds, every attempt is made to provide as natural an experience as possible. At the refuge, the birds would be housed in pens painted natural colors and disguised with trees. Feed and water containers would be made of natural materials and all human paraphernalia removed. The enclosures would be const
