Last week we told you the Whooping crane propagation program at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center will be closing this year. We also said we would keep you informed when we learned more.
Patuxent’s Director John B. French, Jr., Ph.D. has released the following fact sheet:
FACT SHEET – 14 July 2017
Closure of the Whooping Crane Propagation Program at the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
Background: Fifty years ago USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center initiated the North American effort to breed endangered Whooping Cranes (Grus americana) in captivity, and together with many partners over the years, developed a comprehensive program for Whooping Crane conservation. Patuxent has been a leader in that effort ever since, and the program has become an example of endangered species conservation and recovery known world-wide. Whooping cranes are still endangered, but the overall population has grown more than 10-fold in that period.
The Whooping Crane Propagation Program at Patuxent will close in FY18 and birds will be moved to other institutions. Several factors contribute to that decision including that propagation for release does not fit easily in our current research mission, and USGS will focus limited resources on filling gaps of information for species at risk that are not well studied. Closure of the propagation program will present some challenges for the many partners who are now involved with Whooping Crane reintroduction’s.
Actions: The proper disposition of approximately 75 Whooping Cranes now in Patuxent’s care will require time and resources to accomplish. Breeding Whooping Cranes at Patuxent will be sent to other captive breeding centers, hence will not be lost to the program, but there likely will be a disruption of reproduction in those birds for the 2018 season and beyond. The disposition of cranes now in Patuxent’s care will follow the recommendations of the Species Survival Plan (SSP) for the captive flock. The SSP is a formal set of procedures that allow all captive WCs to be managed as a single population, no matter where they are housed. The considerable expertise among Patuxent staff, ranging from animal husbandry to reintroduction methodologies to results of scientific studies, will be available for consultation and training to make the transition as effective as possible.
Conservation impact: Whooping Crane captive breeding for reintroduction in North America is one part of the strategy for conservation and restoration of the species. That strategy is guided by a joint US/Canada International Recovery Team as described in the Whooping Crane Recovery Plan. The impact of closing the Whooping Crane Propagation Program at Patuxent may be to slow the rate of production of chicks for reintroduction of Whooping Cranes, at least temporarily. In the long term, we foresee no detrimental impact on whooping crane production in captivity and we expect that conservation actions that benefit the growth Whooping Crane numbers will continue.
John B. French, Jr., Ph.D.
Patuxent Wildlife Research Center