Whooping Crane Total Population (Figures as of September 30, 2008)     Wild Populations Adult (ALL white Birds) Young* Total Adult Pairs Aransas/Wood Buffalo self-sustaining migratory flock 227 39 266* 72 Florida nonmigratory 30** 0 30**  12 Rocky Mountains 0 0 0 0 Wisconsin/Florida reintroduced migratory flock (The goal is a flock of 125 birds in Wisconsin by 2020, including 25 nesting pairs.) 69 22 *** 91*  11 Subtotal in the Wild :  326  61 387 95            Captive Populations Adults Young** Total Breeding Pairs Patuxent WRC, MD 62 4 66 13 International Crane Foundation, WI 32 0 32 11 Devonian Wildlife Conservation Center, Calgary, AB, Canada 22 0 22 6 Calgary Zoo, AB, Canada 2 0 2 0 San Antonio Zoo, TX 7 0 7 1 Lowry Park Zoo, Tampa, FL 1 0 1 0 Audubon Zoo, New Orleans, LA 2 0 2 0 Species Survival Center, Louisiana 12 0 12 1 Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, FL 2 0 2 0 Jacksonville Zoo, FL 2 0 2 0 Milwaukee County Zoo, WI 1 1 2 0 Subtotal in Captivity: 147 5 152 32 Total wild + captive 387 152 539   *Until the next updating of Total Populations on this page, any known deaths in the Eastern migratory flock AFTER September 30, 2008 are reported here. *The 266 cranes above is the estimated flock size in spring, 2008. Forty-one chicks fledged from a record 66 nests in 2008. Chicks hatched in 2008 are not added to the count until they reach Aransas in late fall. **This number reflects the 26 birds regularly monitored in Florida plus 4 additional cranes believed to be alive in unknown locations. No chicks fledged in the wild in 2008. *** The five Whooping crane breeding facilities (Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, International Crane Foundation, Calgary Zoo, San Antonio Zoo, and Species Survival Center in New Orleans) either provided eggs or hatched and raised chicks in 2008. Four eggs came from abandoned wild nests in Wisconsin and successfully hatched at Patuxent. Twenty-two chicks were being raised for the release programs in central Wisconsin (15 ultralight-led and 7 direct autumn release, but actual numbers could change). **Two of these young are genetic holdbacks and will remain in captivity as future breeding stock. The table does not reflect captive young that have entered reintroduction programs in 2008.   Previous Whooping Crane Population Totals Spring 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 Data courtesy of the Whooping Crane Recovery Team, Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP). This Season Teachers Kids Orientation Registration Search Copyright 1997-2009 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Questions or comments? Contact us.