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Borrego Springs, CA

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

A few words about the refuge

Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1975, shortly after the enactment of the Endangered Species Act in 1973.  That’s when the restoration of this globally-rare habitat and an endangered species began.  The subspecies of Mississippi Sandhill Cranes had declined to only 30-35 birds left in the world.  Unlike other sandhill cranes found in the northern states in summer, this is a non-migratory species.  Because of the demolition of the wet pine savannah, these cranes were on the brink of extinction.  After more than 35 years of savannah management, their numbers are up to around 110.

_MG_8886I tagged along on the refuge run public tour this morning, as I may have to run one of these tours later this month.  We were able to spot two cranes, but they turned out to be the larger Greater sandhill cranes that come down to winter in the area from northern states.  We knew they weren’t Mississippi cranes because they were larger, and didn’t have multiple bands on their legs.  All but two of the Mississippi’s have been banded with colorful rings on their legs so individuals can be studied. 

 

Most of our touring occurred on non-refuge lands.  The protected refuge lands are mainly nesting areas, and it will be next month before nesting activity begins.  The cranes don’t use the nesting areas much during the winter so that predators don’t get used to them being around.

_MG_8895We did visit one of the holding pens on the refuge.  Mississippi Sandhill Cranes generally lay two eggs per year, and refuge staff collects one egg out of each nest to raise at two different facilities.  In the wild, only one baby (called colts) would survive, so raising one in the laboratory increases the amount of hatchlings.  Eventually, these young are brought to holding pens on the refuge where adult cranes can fly in and help teach them how to live in the wild.  The fences are there to keep out predators, and to enable refuge staff to monitor the young birds.

_MG_8896Interns, staff, and sometimes volunteers spend hours on end in this blind documenting every move of the youngsters in the pen.  Eventually, all the birds are returned to the wild on the refuge.  It is a long slow process to help out this species.  To give you some idea, I’ll tell you that last year was a good year for the wild pairs, but only four young were fledged.  That’s why the captive rearing of eggs is necessary. 

_MG_8890 

_MG_8888 _MG_8889

I did spot this nice pair of hooded mergansers as we made our way around the surrounding neighborhoods.  More rain has moved in, and the pitter pattering on the roof of the RV means Emma and I will only make quick forays out a couple of times this evening.  She doesn’t like to get wet any more than I do.  :)

 

Thanks for stopping by…. talk to you later,  Judy

17 comments:

  1. Very interesting post! Thank goodness for the people that have worked so hard to save such beautiful birds, they are to be admired for their work.

    Hope you get to see many of these cranes during your time here.

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  2. Love the wold hairdos the Hooded Mergansers sport...I always want to touch them to see if they feel as soft as they look.
    The other day I came across a post from a bit of an whacko extremist who is dead set against human interference (humanizing as he put it) with nature of any sort....like captive rearing of a Crane egg.
    I am so glad people like him are few and far between so we can help in the rehab or extinction of certain sepcies

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  3. Ooops...that should be *wild* hairdos

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  4. It is so cool to read about how these species are being saved from extinction. So glad there are people who care.

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  5. Don't the Greater cranes compete with the Mississippi variety, or is there enough food to go around?

    I have mixed emotions about rearing wildlife in captivity, especially in zoos - it then becomes about us rather than about the individual animal or bird. Not saying I don't believe in helping them along, although I think many species become extinct because of our overpopulation and pollution. But I think many species went extinct long before we knew anything about them, and there was probably a natural reason for it.

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  6. I think I should explain that I totally appreciate refuges and the work they do in maintaining habitat that man would otherwise pollute and destroy for any natural purposes. When you consider species such as the great condor that might otherwise be lost to civilization, I think I would end up coming down on the side of doing whatever possible to preserve them. But as I say, I have mixed emotions about having to step into the natural process - we should clean up our own act, and then the birds and animals won't have to rely on us to the extent their very lives depend on us.

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  8. I had no idea that all this was going on with Mississippi Sandhill Cranes. Your blog is very educational and informative, Judy.

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  9. Hadn't realized some States had their own Cranes. There are somewhere around 30,000 Cranes just down the road from us this year at the Whitewater Draw near McNeil Arizona. I hear them referred to as Sandhill Cranes & for the most part they appear gray in color while on the ground. In the air they seem to take on some color.

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  10. Glad to hear about the work being done to help the species survive. Most people could care less about a species going extinct, but each has a place in the natural cycle, and if their extinction is not of natural causes, but because of what mankind has done/is doing, we need to help protect them.

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  11. Great post about the Cranes! I think sometimes that wild animals do need some help from humans just to survive as they never expected to get hit with some of the problems we have forced on them.

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  12. I didn't know that Miss.'s Cranes were a sub species and that they don't migrate!
    Thank goodness for volunteers like you to keep the cranes from going extinct!
    I hope sunny days are headed your way - real soon!
    Kathy

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  13. Seems to me that if we helped destroy their natural surrounding, we should try to help them survive too..Great blog..Those Hooded Mergansers looked like Loons to me....any distant relative??

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  14. Interesting post. What else goes on in those blinds during all those hours of watching? Sometimes, it must be like watching grass grow.

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  15. Very slow work building their numbers back up. I never realized they lay two eggs, but only raise one hatchling. We still plan on coming down there this spring. I think in March.

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  16. I hope you and Emma had a wonderfully cozy evening in last night. I love when it rains and you can hear it on the roof of the RV. Thanks for coming by A Camp Host's Meanderings by the way!

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  17. Looks like the recovery is going slowly, but surely. Are they found anywhere else in Mississippi? Giving tours sounds like it is right up your alley!

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