Meet the Class of 2013 Whooping Cranes
Hatch-year 2013 of the Eastern Flock
Back to Meet the Cranes 2013

Personality and Training: How did he get the name Epstein? ICF staff used the theme of TV sitcoms or sitcom characters when they named the 2013 chicks. (A change in the numbering system is under discussion.) Epstein is named after Juan Epstein of the old TV show "Welcome Back, Kotter." Epstein had a big appetite right out of the egg and never has had problems eating.

Epstein and the other DAR chicks were costume reared and then transported to Horicon Wildlfe Refuge in early September. The chicks will now spend more time out of a pen and less time with the costume. They will be officially released probably at the end of October to mingle with other wild Whooping cranes and Sandhill cranes. If all goes as planned, the youngsters will follow the older cranes to learn the flock's southward migration route.

The DAR chicks got their legbands and colors on Sept 27. They were released at Horicon NWR on Oct 24, 2013. Epstein (#55-13) sustained a leg injury from an unknown source. He was captured for examination on November 6 but experts found no obvious cause of the injury so he was re-released at the Horicon National Wildlife Refuge the next day and seemed just fine after that. However, sad news came when his fully intact carcass was recovered on private property near the refuge on December 7. Death had occurred shortly before.