Seventeen endangered whooping cranes are following a lightweight plane through Georgia on their annual migratory path. The flock of birds arrived yesterday in Gordon County. They will stop up to five times in Georgia.
Since 2001, Operation Migration has been trying to establish a new winter migration route for the endangered whooping crane. It spans from Wisconsin down to Florida.
This year the route has taken more time than ever before. The journey usually ends in mid-December.
Liz Condie works for Operation Migration and has been on the trip for three years. She said someone has to show the birds born in captivity how to migrate.
“Because most avian species learn the migration route, the ability to migrate, from their parents, once the last bird is lost from a range, the migration route, of course, is lost as well,” said Condie.Operation Migration is trying to rebuild the Eastern Whooping Crane population. If all goes as planned, it should be off the endangered species list within the next few years.
