TOTAL WHOOPER POPULATION COUNT URGED – Entry 2

In a posting on the Whooping Crane Conservation Association (WCCA) website, Chester McConnell reported that WCCA President, Lorne Scott, has written to Department of the Interior Secretary, Ken Salazar, to urge the resumption of regular aerial total population counts of Whooping cranes on Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.

After the retirement of Whooping Crane Coordinator, Tom Stehn, USFWS discontinued the aerial census of the Wood Buffalo-Aransas population. The new method uses hierarchical distance sampling.

In his letter to Secretary Salazar, President Scott said, “The WCCA sees the total count census as the most practical, economical and having the most scientific value”. Citing the the Service’s “2011-2012 estimate of 254 plus or minus 62 Whooping Cranes”, Scott wrote, “This degree of uncertainty for a critically endangered species is simply unacceptable.”

Read President Scott’s letter to Mr. Salazar here.

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6 Comments

  1. Pam Bates January 10, 2013 12:19 pm

    Thank you Liz and OM for posting the WCCA post. Not everyone follows, or are aware of the WB flock and it is very important for the Wood Buffalo flock that all the whoopers are counted rather than ‘estimated’. Like John P posted. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.

    • Margie Tomlinson January 12, 2013 11:19 am

      I believe I used this very same expression, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, in response to this topic several days ago.

  2. Pc Marshall January 10, 2013 9:11 am

    Very important to make accurate counts of a flock numbering less than 300 birds. Here’s hoping USFWS can be convinced to return to the previous true count method at least till the flock reaches 500 or more. Thank you OM for posting a link to the WCCA report!

  3. John S. Perilloux January 10, 2013 6:49 am

    Tom Stehn certainly would never have given us a census report reading “plus or minus 62″. Stehn’s method was very much better than what was used last year. He also gave us many more reports than what we got last year.
    If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

    http://perilloux.org

    • Margie Tomlinson January 12, 2013 11:23 am

      John, You borrowed my very favorite expression, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. (Used by many mechanics in the aviation industry.)

      • John S. Perilloux January 15, 2013 6:49 am

        Margie, I just happened to be an aircraft mechanic for 14 years. Old phrases die hard.

        http://perilloux.org