Whooping Crane "The Class of 2007" Audio Clip Clip Courtesy Mark Chenoweth Listen! Seventeen is fewer birds than the team hoped for, but what did Joe say was so GREAT about having 17 birds? This is the Text for Joe Duff's Audio Clip: Joe Duff of Operation Migration Pilot Joe Duff: We were hoping for a large number of birds this year maybe unprecedented numbers but we have 17 . We had a lot of problems at Patuxent this year with disease and parasites and injuries and that just happens it's just a natural thing.That's why Whooping Cranes are endangered and raising them in captivity is even more complex. But we have 17 birds and we look on the bright side: 17 birds is two more than existed back in the 1940s — so what are we complaining about? Journey North is pleased to feature this educational adventure made possible by the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP). Facebook Pinterest Twitter © 1997 – 2024 Journey North. All rights reserved.