The LA Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is working cooperatively with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the US Geological Survey, the International Crane Foundation and the LA Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit to restore the whooping crane within Louisiana.
The last Whooping crane nest in Louisiana was found at White Lake, Louisiana in 1939 . It is also the site of the newest whooping crane Reintroduction Program.
During 2010 eleven chicks were raised at the U.S.G.S. Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, MD and transferred to the Louisiana reintroduction and release site in early 2011. The young birds were held in a pen where they could become familiar with their new surroundings.
The young whooping cranes were recently released from their pen to take their chances in the wilds of Louisiana. The video was taken as the pen doors were opened for the young cranes to be released into the wild:
For more details visit the Louisiana whooping crane reintroduction project web site
