Whooping Crane Caleb Fairfax Intern Caleb Fairfax helped raise the chicks from their hatching at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. Then he traveled to Wisconsin to help the team when the chicks arrived for flight school. He will go along to help on migration too. Caleb came from Oregon. There he worked at the Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River with a salmon/sea lion conservation program. Caleb spent much of his earlier life in Washington state, but moved to Maryland with his family. He finished high school and then went to the University of Maryland at College Park. He studied geology, world food shortages, and sustainable agriculture. Then he found his true calling in the biological and wildlife sciences. During his college days at the University of Maryland, Caleb had a job at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Refuge Crane Facilities. He learned about the plight of the Whooping Crane, the multiple projects aimed at their conservation, and the importance of Operation Migration's work. In 2010 Caleb graduated with a degree in Environmental Science and a concentration in Wildlife Ecology and Management. He makes a a great addition to the OM Team! Caleb loves hiking and beautiful views, fishing, music, campfires, his family, and a good conversation with friends. He loves the cranes, too. Team leader Joe Duff called Caleb a hero for staying five hours at the side of Crane #1-11 when he was injured in a tangled marsh thicket and doing his best to make sure they would both be rescued. "Our cranes, and animals in general, are irreplaceable creatures and I am blessed and honored people before me have cared enough about the conservation of this special and magnificent bird to keep its flame of existence from extinguishing. Due to their work I am able to have these amazing experiences on a personal level with a wonderful animal. I think about this all the time. "This thought also reassures me when I worry about the current state of global extinction and habitat destruction. As long as there are people willing to fight and dedicate their lives -- these personal and breathtaking experiences will be shared with future generations. Maybe fifty years from now because of Operation Migration’s work, someone else will have a little baby girl #12-61 they can enjoy watching grow and develop into its own special creature." — Caleb Fairfax 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.