244 have arrived at Aransas Wildlife Refuge, including 21 of 22 chicks hatched this year

By Jaime Powell  |  Caller.com              

January 1, 2010

ARANSAS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE   The whooping cranes have landed in Aransas County with encouraging numbers so far, including 21 of 22 chicks making it to Texas from Canada, according to the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.

The flock, which is the only naturally occurring whooping crane population in the world, lost 23 of its 270 members last winter. South Texas drought conditions decimated their food and water sources. A count by whooping crane specialists two weeks ago found 244 cranes are in Aransas County   223 adults and 21 chicks. They will be counted again next week, and staff at the refuge is hoping for modest gains, said Vicki Muller, a whooping crane specialist at the refuge. Any decline is cause for concern, because the birds are among the most endangered species.   We don t want unrealistic expectations, Muller said.   If we can keep 247 and count this as a year where we are even, since we lost so many last year, we will be happy. Having all but one chick arrive is phenomenal, she said.   Hopefully that 22nd chick will come, and everything will be great, she said.

Every fall the flock migrates to the refuge north of Rockport with their youngsters in tow. They stay through early spring before heading back to Wood Buffalo National Park in northern Canada where they nest and raise babies. After recent rainfall, many issues have abated that plagued the 5-foot-tall, long-legged tourist attractions last year. The freshwater situation has improved, Muller said, with salinity levels dropping dramatically.   The cranes are able to drink the marsh water instead of having to travel, she said. Moderate gains in the blue crab population and a nearly average wolfberry crop   the cranes  prime food sources   have specialists optimistic that the flock s population will fare better, Muller said.