Okay, pardon the bad pun, but it’s (arguably) in keeping with the news that two whooping crane chicks hatched in the wild for the first time in more than one hundred years.
Whooping Cranes: Back From the Brink, But Not Out of Danger
A pair of whooping cranes have hatched two chicks in the wild at the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in Central Wisconsin.
This breakthrough event marks the first young of the species to be hatched in the wild in the eastern United States in more than 100 years!
This wonderful wildlife success story is undoubtedly a cause for celebration, but these beautiful birds are still highly endangered, with only around 300 surviving in the wild!
Suppose these chicks are to survive and join a migrating flock. In that case, they will need a tremendous amount of help, and the most important thing we as Americans can do for them is to ensure they continue to enjoy the valuable and long-standing protections afforded them under the Endangered Species Act.
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) has provided a vital safety net for America’s wildlife on the brink of extinction for over three decades.
Still, some in Congress seek to gut this crucial legislation and repeal the long-standing protections that have made wildlife victories, such as the Yellowstone wolf and the bald eagle, possible.