A group of seven young whooping cranes is being raised at the Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center, part of an ongoing effort to save these endangered birds from extinction. The youngsters hatched earlier this year, and five of them will be released to the wild this fall to help build a sustainable population.
 
The chicks are being hand-raised by keepers wearing crane costumes to limit their exposure to humans. Five of the birds will be released to the White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area in Vermillion Parish, the remaining birds will be kept in human care for breeding. All of this year’s chicks are named for types of pasta: Fiori, Capellini, Ziti, Vermicelli, Gemelli, Gigli, and Lasagna.
 
“Every whooping crane chick that is successfully raised for release or breeding is one critical step in the preservation of these species,” said Richard Dunn, Assistant Curator at the Species Survival Center. “We are encouraged to see birds grow to adulthood and released to our Louisiana population.”
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Audubon Nature Institute is an active part of whooping crane conservation and works closely with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and other partners with the goal of developing a self-sustaining population of whooping cranes in Louisiana. 

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