Journey of the Whooping Crane

Filmed over a two-year period throughout the United States and Canada, “Journey of the Whooping Crane” is a natural history documentary presenting the story of North America’s tallest bird. Whooping Cranes stand five feet tall and have a wingspan of over seven feet. They migrate 2700 miles each way from their wintering grounds on the gulf coast of Texas and their summer breeding grounds in the Northwest Territories of Canada. They are one of the rarest animals on earth, with a little more than 400 birds in the wild. In 1940, there were only fourteen wild birds, and only two or three breeding pairs. Since that critical low, the conservation efforts of many government agencies and non-profits have worked in concert to bring the birds back. Scientists have employed remarkable and novel ideas to aid the restoration effort. “Journey of the Whooping Crane” presents a natural history of the bird and highlights conservation efforts to restore this magnificent animal. With the number of birds increasing, this is a rare success story for endangered species today, but a struggle that is far from over.