About the Whooping Crane Fall Reintroduction All photos courtesy of Operation Migration Getting Started Historic Times for Endangered Whooping Cranes On the brink of extinction, a flock of only 15 wild migratory Whooping cranes remained in the early 1940s. Since 2001, with ultralight aircraft leading the way, a new wild flock of migratory Whooping cranes is being reintroduced to the eastern U.S. The goal is 25 breeding pairs from 125 birds in Wisconsin by 2020. The new flock has had limited success in nesting, and the fragile migratory population still has a rocky road ahead. Thanks to the efforts of WCEP’s members, there are now 77 wild adult Whooping cranes migrating in eastern North America, which was part of their historic range. (Photo Overview >>) Each year, new crane chicks are raised in captivity, trained to migrate with the ultralights, and added to the new eastern flock. This year's new flock members are called the "Hatch Year 2009" birds, or the Class of 2009 — and it began as the largest in the reintroduction's 9-year history. We follow their story from hatching in spring 2009 to the day they complete their first fall migration at 6 to 7 months of age. How and why do the baby cranes learn to follow ultralight planes? How many of the baby cranes will survive their first year? How much will the endangered population grow with this year's addition? How many of the entire flock — hatched from 2001-2009— will survive this year? Two wild-born chicks hatched within the flock in summer 2009, but neither survived the summer. The flock's only wild-born chick, now three years old, will be making her fourth migration south this fall. This year also brings nine chicks costume-raised to follow experienced cranes heading south in a program called Direct Autumn Release (DAR). Our fall "Journey South" Web reports share daily migration progress as the cranes travel to their winter home in Florida. In spring, our "Journey North" updates track these cranes as they travel back to Wisconsin all on their own. Every year is an exciting new chapter in the Whooping cranes' return from the brink of extinction! * A western flock of Whooping cranes is the original, natural wild flock that migrates between Texas and Canada each year, as it has for eons. We'll follow their journey north next spring. Meet the New Cranes Make a Timeline Read Background Booklets Follow Daily Migration Reports Write in a Journal Map the Migration Predict and Compare >>  Learn About Survival Look Back at Migration History How Many Whooping Cranes Now? (The number of migratory Whooping cranes as of June 7, 2009) Western Flock Eastern Flock Journey North is pleased to feature this educational adventure made possible by the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership This Season Teachers Kids Orientation Registration Search Copyright 1997-2009 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Questions or comments? Contact us.