June 17, 2004 - Patuxent Wildlife Research
Center Seven chicks shipped but still lots to do...
Tatiana Zhuchkova is a visiting aviculturist from the Oka Reserve
in Byrkin Bor, Russia. Tania has a great deal of experience with
Siberian cranes, and when she returns home, she will take her
newfound knowledge that will help with a similar reintroduction
currently being planned to restore migration routes to this other
endangered crane species.
The photo above shows the "White Series" wet pens.
Robert is spending time with the 2nd cohort who aren't quite at the
age yet where they can be left alone without a costumed handler to
supervise their antics.
The "Circle-Pen" training area. This is the first area each
chick is led to for aircraft conditioning. At first chicks exercise
alone with the trike, but eventually they are worked in pairs. As the
cohort blending occurs, eventually the larger groups of chicks are
then led to the "Half-Moon" training area (below)
The Half-Moon field is a long stretch of field with a short fence,
which allows the aircraft to reach higher taxi speeds. The groups of
chicks follow along from the other side of the fence, keeping them
safe from the propeller of the aircraft.
Whooping crane #402 is led to his chick run after completing a
successful circle-pen session on May 4th when he was approximately 2
weeks of age.
