International Crane Foundation Research Articles

Book Review

George Archibald is an active crane expert who dedicated his life to the conservation of cranes by founding the International Crane Foundation in Wisconsin. The Foundation, established in 1973, has been instrumental in the conservation efforts for 15 species of cranes distributed worldwide except South America. AArchibald's fame grew as many people talked about the story of how he danced with Tex to artificially inseminate the whooping cranes, which were on the verge of extinction. In an autobiographical style, this book shows how George Archibald became immersed in the study of cranes and the journey of his life dedicated to these conservation efforts.

Strong call to safeguard traditional agriculture as habitat for threatened crane species

This Scientific Impact Paper summarizes the changes in policy and practice of crane conservation that have occurred since our 2019 research in the Cheorwon Basin located in the Civilian Control Zone (CCZ) of the Republic of Korea (ROK). Changes in National Policy as well as increased engagement of conservation NGOs have led to more engagement of farmers in safeguarding crane habitat in their fields. Yet the current system of low-intensity rice farming is dependent on military land-use restrictions. The Cheorwon Basin in the Civilian Control Zone (CCZ) of the Republic of Korea (ROK) hosts the most important wintering site of two threatened crane species, the white-naped crane (Grus vipio) and the red-crowned crane (Grus japonensis). Both species predominately use harvested rice paddy fields as foraging sites (Kim et al., 2016). In 2019, we carried out a stakeholder analysis (Jin et al., 2021) revealing that local initiatives had successfully engaged farmers in conserving crane habitat on their fields, in part through the provision of direct and indirect financial incentives. Yet it proved challenging to engage stakeholders critical of crane conservation in our research (e.g., the military or firms interested in agricultural/ industrial development of the area). Here we summarize the changes in policy and practice of crane conservation that have occurred in the three years following our initial research. We report these insights based on expert interviews conducted in 2022 with a local farmer representative (I#1), and a local and international crane conservation specialist (I#2, I#3). At national level, the Biological Diversity Act (2002) was revised in 2019 allowing for the possibility of the private sector to co-finance the ROK government's system of Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES). The National Nature Trust owns a legal foundation to operate PES and has expressed interest in extending the payments to crane conservation (I#3). While the system of PES was already in place in other regions of ROK, enhanced funding by the local government and the Ministry of Environment allowed for its initiation in the Cheorwon Basin. Farmers now receive government payments for specific biodiversity-friendly methods. These include the restricted use of pesticides, leaving leftover grains on the field and keeping rice fields flooded throughout winter in order to provide foraging and roosting habitat for cranes (I#2). According to a local farmer representative, the process of engaging in interviews for our initial publication and thereby expressing diverse opinions increased trust relations, and respect among members of the Crane Coordinating Committee. Yet communication with stakeholders outside the committee is still perceived as challenging. (I#1). The International Crane Foundation has started a new project centered upon Cheorwon with the major components being citizen science, outreach to stakeholders and policy-makers, strengthening networks for crane conservation and education, and awareness raising for example, by initiating a local crane festival which can attract tourists to the region (I#2). The Cheorwon Basin is the only area in the ROK, in which low-intensity rice farming is still practiced and crucial roosting and foraging habitat for cranes are secured. Plans to protect the site and the traditional farming practices by establishing a nature reserve have not yet been successful (Kim et al., 2011). This means that the current state of successful cooperation between farmers and crane conservation largely depends on military land-use restrictions that have become less strict in recent years. The size of the CCZ has decreased (Figure 1) and even within the remaining area, greenhouses and ginseng farms have rapidly expanded while the pressure for further economic development persists. Karoline Hemminger: Conceptualization (lead); Conducting Interviews, Interview Analysis (lead); Writing-original draft (lead); Writing-review and editing (lead). Hyeyeon Sarah Jin: Conducting Interviews (lead); Writing-review and editing. Spike Millington, Jongsoo Choi: Writing-review and editing. Kisup Lee: Visualization; Writing-review and editing. Claudia Sattler: Conceptualization, Visualization (lead), Writing-review and editing. The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest. Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL. The interview transcripts are not available because they include clear names of individuals mentioned during the interview conversations as well as sensitive information which may allow to guess the identity of the interviewees.

NEOPLASIA IN CAPTIVE CRANES.

A retrospective study of neoplasia was conducted from necropsy and histologic reports of 446 cranes representing all 15 extant species. Cases were obtained from the International Crane Foundation (ICF), Northwest ZooPath (NWZP), and six other zoologic institutions in the United States during 1993 to 2019. Only reports from ICF (n = 61) and NWZP (n = 374) were used for estimates of disease prevalence. Overall prevalence of neoplasia was 7.35% (32 of 435), with a metastasis rate of 31.8%. Seventeen types of neoplasms were identified. Geriatric cranes were the most common age class affected (60%). The digestive system was most frequently involved (n = 12; 27.3%), followed by urinary (n = 8; 18.2%) and integumentary systems (n = 6; 13.6%). Carcinoma was the most common tumor type across all species (n = 15; 34.0%) followed by benign epithelial tumors (adenomas; n = 11; 25.0%). Multiple neoplasms were observed in only one crane. Of the cases with metastasis, hematopoietic, reproductive, and respiratory tumors had 100% metastasis (2 of 2, 2 of 2, and 3 of 3, respectively), whereas tumors of the integumentary, nervous, and musculoskeletal systems had no evidence of metastasis (0 of 7, 0 of 3, and 0 of 1, respectively). Overall, Gruidae species were found to have a high prevalence of neoplasia but a low rate of metastasis compared with other avian species with the highest species-specific rates in Eurasian (Grus grus), demoiselle (Anthropoides virgo), and wattled cranes (Bugeranus carunculatus) (40.0%, 21.4%, and 19.0%, respectively). This is the first large-scale study of neoplasia in cranes.

Red-Crowned Cranes in Autumn Migratory Flight.

Red-crowned cranes (丹顶鹤), also known as Manchurian or Japanese cranes, are the largest, heaviest, and rarest of cranes in the world, typically measuring about 155 cm in height, 125 cm in length from bill to tail-tip, 235 cm of an average wingspan, and up to 11 kg in weight. Currently, these cranes are found in only China (north-eastern region), Russia (bordering China), Mongolia, North and South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. The International Crane Foundation has estimated that the present numbers are only about 3000 and these appear to be declining. This crane is now an endangered species. The cranes owe their name to a unique patch of red bare skin on the crown, which becomes brighter …

Flagship umbrella species needed for the conservation of overlooked aquatic biodiversity.

Despite a long-standing debate about the utility of species-centered conservation approaches (Roberge & Angelstam 2004), surrogate species remain popular by providing useful—or even necessary—“shortcuts” for successful conservation programs (Caro 2010). Flagship species, as one prime example of surrogates, are primarily intended to promote public awareness and to raise funds for conservation (Verissimo et al. 2011). In contrast, the protection of umbrella species is expected to benefit a wide range of co-occurring species (Roberge & Angelstam 2004; Caro 2010). Accordingly, the main criteria for selecting flagships should be based on socio-cultural considerations, whereas umbrellas are principally chosen based on ecological criteria (Caro 2010; Verissimo et al. 2011; see Table 1). Since these two concepts are often confused or mistakenly used interchangeably, Caro (2010, p. 248) coined the term "flagship umbrellas" for those species that explicitly integrate both functions. Indeed, Li and Pimm (2016) recently demonstrated that the classic flagship species, the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), can simultaneously act as an umbrella species, as its protection benefits many co-occurring endemic mammals, birds and amphibians. This challenges the often held views that: (i) the umbrella concept has to be abandoned as it is not efficiently working at local scales (Caro 2015); (ii) most flagship species are weak predictors for efficient reserve planning (Caro 2010); and (iii) ecosystem- or landscape-based conservation approaches should consequentially be favored over species-based approaches whenever feasible (Roberge & Angelstam 2004; Caro 2010). Further commotion in the discussion is the increasingly demanded paradigm shift in conservation strategies to specifically target hidden or neglected biodiversity for its intrinsic value and its contribution to ecosystem processes (Dougherty et al. 2016). This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Evaluating Environmental Interpretation with Mixed Method: A Case Study at the International Crane Foundation, Wisconsin

A mixed method approach was used to evaluate effectiveness of environmental interpretation on visitors’ knowledge, environmental attitude, and pro-environmental behavioral intentions at the International Crane Foundation. Quantitative analysis suggests that participating in personal interpretation has the advantage of improving an audience's knowledge level, but is no more effective than nonpersonal interpretation in influencing attitude and behavioral intentions. Personal and nonpersonal interpretive methods are both effective in promoting knowledge and behavioral intentions for conservation, but do not influence environmental attitude. Qualitative results indicate that participation in personal interpretation makes more of an impression in the visitors’ long-term memory than nonpersonal interpretation.

The African Crane Database (1978-2014): Records of three threatened crane species (Family: Gruidae) from southern and eastern Africa.

BackgroundThe International Crane Foundation (ICF) / Endangered Wildlife Trust’s (EWT) African Crane Conservation Programme has recorded 26 403 crane sightings in its database from 1978 to 2014. This sightings collection is currently ongoing and records are continuously added to the database by the EWT field staff, ICF/EWT Partnership staff, various partner organizations and private individuals. The dataset has two peak collection periods: 1994-1996 and 2008-2012. The dataset collection spans five African countries: Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia; 98% of the data were collected in South Africa. Georeferencing of the dataset was verified before publication of the data. The dataset contains data on three African crane species: Blue Crane Anthropoides paradiseus, Grey Crowned Crane Balearica regulorum and Wattled Crane Bugeranus carunculatus. The Blue and Wattled Cranes are classified by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as Vulnerable and the Grey Crowned Crane as Endangered.New informationThis is the single most comprehensive dataset published on African Crane species that adds new information about the distribution of these three threatened species. We hope this will further aid conservation authorities to monitor and protect these species. The dataset continues to grow and especially to expand in geographic coverage into new countries in Africa and new sites within countries. The dataset can be freely accessed through the Global Biodiversity Information Facility data portal.

Comparison of Serum Protein Electrophoresis Values in Wild and Captive Whooping Cranes ( Grus americana ).

Protein electrophoresis of serum samples from endangered, wild whooping cranes ( Grus americana ) was performed to help assess the health of the only self-sustaining, migratory population in North America. Serum samples from wild adult cranes (n = 22) were taken at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, Texas, USA during winter. Wild juvenile cranes (n = 26) were sampled at Wood Buffalo National Park, Northwest Territories, Canada, in midsummer. All captive crane samples were acquired from the International Crane Foundation, Baraboo, WI, USA. Captive adult cranes (n = 30) were sampled during annual examinations, and archived serum samples from captive juvenile cranes (n = 19) were selected to match the estimated age of wild juveniles. Wild juveniles had significantly lower concentrations of all protein fractions than wild adults, except for prealbumin and γ globulins. All protein fraction concentrations for wild juveniles were significantly lower compared with captive juveniles, except for prealbumin and γ globulins, which were higher. Wild adults had significantly greater γ globulin concentrations than captive adults. Captive juveniles had significantly lower prealbumin and albumin concentrations and albumin : globulin ratios than captive adults. The higher γ globulin concentrations in wild versus captive cranes are likely because of increased antigenic exposure and immune stimulation. Protein fraction concentrations vary significantly with age and natural history in this species. Reference intervals for serum protein electrophoresis results from captive adult whooping cranes are provided in this study.

Integrating Conservation and Development

Integrated conservation and development projects (ICDPs) are increasingly being critiqued for having failed to meet their objectives. Designed with the goal of combining biodiversity conservation with the promotion of local economic development to create a win-win situation for both endangered species and marginalized peoples, numerous recent studies have questioned the effectiveness of the ICDP approach. This research, based on more than 200 interviews at Caohai Nature Reserve in China provides support both positive and negative assessments of ICDPs. The community development and conservation programs at Caohai, cosponsored by the Guizhou Environmental Protection Bureau, Caohai Nature Reserve, the International Crane Foundation, and the Trickle Up Program, were developed in response to violent confrontations between local people and nature reserve managers when managers attempted to enforce reserve regulations. Although the programs at Caohai have met with both failures and successes, these programs have been successful in transforming what was once a violent relationship between local people and nature reserve managers into a much more cooperative one.

International Crane Foundation Looks for Ways to Restore Local Economies and Ecosystems Along the Lower Zambezi River

International Crane Foundation Looks for Ways to Restore Local Economies and Ecosystems Along the Lower Zambezi River

Conserving Cranes in Africa

Africa is so studded with dramatic landscapes and fantastic fauna that it can be hard to choose what to conserve. African wattled crane (Bugeranus carunculatus) is a good example. Cranes are sacred in Asia and iconic in North America, but despite the bird's stunning size and dramatic black-and-white color scheme, it is only a runner-up in the safari market. Recent surveys in Botswana, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia, countries long thought to be strongholds for wattled cranes, indicate that the global population may only be about 8000 half of what was reported just 8 years ago. With new funding from Rolex, Disney, and the World Bank, the International Crane Foundation (ICF) of Baraboo, Wisconsin, is stepping up efforts to strengthen connections between cranes, wetlands, and humans. The wattled crane is an

The Black-Necked Crane Winter Count 1991-1992

The Black-Necked Crane Winter Count 1991-1992 Introduction A growing concern for the Black-necked Crane (Crus vigricollis) has underscored the need for more complete information on its population status. Historic descriptions of the Blacknecked Crane's wintering range included Bhutan, India, China, Vietnam and Burma. Beginning in November 1988, researchers and government agencies were contacted to census known wintering areas between 1 January and 15 February 1989. The first, 1989 winter count yielded 705 cranes in China and Bhutan (Bishop 1989a, b) but none in Vietnam. The discovery of new wintering areas in Yunnan (Huang 1990, Wang et al. 1990) and Tibet (Bishop 1991b) have increased the world's known population to 4,024 during the third, 1991 winter count (Bishop 1991a). This past 1991-92 winter, the Fourth Annual Black-necked Crane Winter Count was again organized by Dr. Mary Anne Bishop of the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, Wisconsin U.s.A. Participating countries included the People's Republic of China, the Kingdom of Bhutan and India. Compared to the previous years, additional areas in Tibet, Arunachal Pradesh and central Bhutan were surveyed. No surveys were conducted in Vietnam for the 1991-92 winter count.

Nesting, Renesting, and Manipulating Nesting of Florida Sandhill Cranes

Mean laying date of 53 Florida sandhill crane (Grus canadensis pratensis) nests during 1983-87 was 12 March. Mean clutch size for 99 nests was 1.72. Clutch size was not affected by laying date or clutch sequence. Seventy-eight percent of pairs that abandoned or had eggs removed from first or second nests renested; 38% of nests hatched successfully. Intervals between clutches were 18-20 days, irrespective of laying date or the number of days of incubation that preceded nest loss. Nest incubation during daylight hours was shared equally by males and females but was not uniformly distributed throughout the day. Removal of eggs was an effective method of prolonging nesting; however, it would be impractical to use egg removal to synchronize laying dates as part of a large-scale cross-fostering effort. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 52(4):758-763 A cross-fostering study conducted in the Rocky Mountain states revealed that sandhill cranes can foster-rear whooping cranes (Grus americana) and the adopted offspring will migrate along the route used by their foster parents (Drewien and Bizeau 1978). The success of this approach and the existence of a substantial population of nonmigratory sandhill cranes in Florida (Williams 1978) prompted an investigation into the possibility of and methodology for developing a nonmigratory population of whooping cranes in Florida similar to one that existed in Louisiana until the 1940's (Lowery 1974). No nonmigratory whooping cranes exist today; consequently, a study to predict the migratory propensity of a migratory species fosterreared by nonmigratory parents was undertaken in 1981 with greater sandhill cranes (G. c. tabida) as surrogates for whooping cranes (Nesbitt 1982). A problem with this approach that became apparent early in the study was the difference in laying dates between Florida sandhill cranes and greater sandhill cranes, and more importantly, whooping cranes in the wild or in captivity. There may be several ways to circumvent this problem: the photoperiod could be artificially manipulated to hasten egg production in captive cranes, or nesting of candidate, wild, foster parents could be prolonged. To establish nonmigratory whooping cranes using Florida sandhill cranes as foster parents in Florida, we needed an understanding of nesting biology of the resident subspecies. Prior knowledge of peak egg-laying dates, mean clutch size, renesting tendency, interval between clutches, nest attentiveness, and differences in nest attentiveness between sexes would aid in establishment and management of a nonmigratory flock anywhere in the southern United States. Published information on nesting of Florida cranes has come primarily from southcentral Florida. Walkinshaw (1949, 1973, 1976, 1982), Thompson (1970), and Bishop and Collopy (1987) described nests and nesting habitat. Walkinshaw (1985) also described nest attentiveness of male and female Florida sandhill cranes and greater sandhill cranes (Walkinshaw 1965a). Littlefield and Ryder (1968) presented additional information on nesting behavior of color marked male and female greater sandhill cranes in Oregon. The purpose of my study was to evaluate the possibility and best method of prolonging nesting in wild Florida cranes and gain greater understanding of their nesting biology. I appreciate the Florida Department of Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation, for providing access to Paynes Prairie. F. M. and T. J. Cone, C. L. Brice, and H. M. and J. Z. Chitty allowed access to their property. Field assistance was provided by A. S. Wenner, S. T. Schwikert, and J. H. Hintermister V, R. D. Bjork, and K. S. Williams; their help was crucial to this study. Greater sandhill crane eggs used in Florida came from normal nesting pairs in Wisconsin or from captive pairs at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Patuxent Research Center in Laurel, Maryland. I am indebted to personnel with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, International Crane Foundation, and Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. Financial support was provided, in part, by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Endangered and Threatened Species Program.

The ‘lily of birds’: the success story of the Siberian white crane

In 1985 the Worldlife Fund's Gold Medal, its highest honour, was awarded to George Archibald, Director and co-founder with Ron Sauey of the International Crane Foundation at Baraboo, Wisconsin, which has achieved so much for the world's endangered cranes. Their most remarkable success story—and an outstanding example of international conservation efforts across political boundaries—is surely that of the beautiful Siberian white crane Grus leucogeranus. It is a story, too, of astonishingly recent discovery, as they told this writer on a recent visit to Baraboo.

Growth Rates of Cranes Reared in Captivity

Abstract We measured eggs, incubation periods, growth of chicks, and masses of adults of 10 species of cranes at the Bronx Zoo and the International Crane Foundation. Growth rate constants of Gompertz equations fitted to the data varied between 0.034 and 0.057/day. These values were 50-90% of those for altricial birds of comparable adult mass, and were considerably greater than those of other precocial species, such as galliforms. Rates of growth intermediate between altricial and precocial species are consistent with the fact that crane chicks, although precocial, are brooded and fed by their parents during much of the early development period. Within species, asymptote (A) and growth-rate constant (K) of the Gompertz equations were negatively correlated, owing to their inherent relationship in the curve-fitting process. Masses of chicks during the first month after hatch were unrelated to the mass asymptote, but correlated strongly with the estimated growth-rate constant. The mass of the neonate was about 60% of the fresh mass of the egg. Egg mass was unrelated to subsequent chick mass during the first month, but correlated with the mass asymptote in two species when the relationship between A and K was accounted for statistically. Egg mass also was correlated with incubation period, fledging period, and the growthrate constant in isolated instances. Growth rate and asymptote among species were inversely related, as found among large samples of diverse bird species. The size of the egg relative to the mass of the adult was related inversely to adult mass, again consistent with patterns in other groups of birds. Fledging period was related strongly to the length of the incubation period and weakly to the asymptote to the growth curve, and it was unrelated to growth-rate constant of the Gompertz equation.

Restoring American Prairie

By the end of the 19th century the vast grasslands that once covered nearly two-fifths of the US land surface had almost disappeared, turned over to cultivation. Today some of the very few surviving remnants are being saved, but they are unlikely to be enough to support the full range of prairie species, and since the 1930s efforts have been made to create new prairies. Because prairie is prime habitat for cranes, many of which are endangered, the International Crane Foundation, as part of its Ecosystem Restoration Programme started in 1979, is planting a prairie in Wisconsin. The author, who is in charge of this, describes the methods and results so far.

The Isolation of a Herpesvirus from Captive Cranes with an Inclusion Body Disease

SUMMARY A viral agent, identified as a herpesvirus and tentatively called inclusion body disease of (IBDC), was isolated from captive cranes involved in a die-off at the International Crane Foundation near Baraboo, Wisconsin. Preliminary animal susceptibility tests, based on experimental infections, suggested that White Pekin ducklings up to 17 days old and adult coots were susceptible to the IBDC virus whereas 16-day-old White Leghorn chicks and 64-dayold Muscovy ducks were not. No serum antibody to IBDC virus was detected in 95 wild sandhill cranes collected in Wisconsin or Indiana in 1976 and 1977. However, 9 of 11 captive cranes in the affected area at the ICF had antibody to this agent.