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On the brink of extinction, only 15 wild migratory Whooping cranes remained in the early 1940s. Since 2001, with ultralight aircraft leading the way, a new wild migratory flock is being reintroduced to the eastern United States. Each year, new crane chicks are raised in captivity, trained to migrate with the ultralight planes, and added to the new eastern flock. Species recovery is a long-term challenge. Every year is an exciting new chapter in the cranes' comeback!