Whooping Crane Summer Range
Encyclopedia
Whooping Crane Summer Range is a 16,895 km² wetland
complex in the boreal forests of northern Alberta
and southwestern Northwest Territories
in Canada
. It is the only natural nesting habitat for the critically endangered whooping crane
. On May 24, 1982 it was designated a Ramsar wetland of international importance, one of two such sites in Wood Buffalo National Park
(the other is Peace-Athabasca Delta
). It is owned by the Government of Canada
, and is administered by Parks Canada
with some input from Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
. Encompassing the northeastern portion of Wood Buffalo National Park, approximately 2,300 km² (14%) of the wetland is external to the park, on Crown land in the Northwest Territories
. It is also classified an Important Bird Area
.
The range is a complex of contiguous water bodies, primarily lakes and various wetlands, such as marsh
es and bog
s, but also includes streams and ponds. In addition to the whooping crane nesting area, the range includes two sites classified during the International Biological Program
.
Because the area developed through wildfires, "no natural forest fires in the area are extinguished unless they threaten structural facilities or...leave the boundaries of Wood Buffalo National Park".
A whooping crane census in 1941 counted only 15 migratory birds. There are currently 178 migratory birds which winter and breed in coastal Texas
, primarily in the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
. Annual population surveys are conducted by the Canadian Wildlife Service
. A few breeding pairs of the nationally endangered Peregrine Falcon
also nest in the range. Due to the significant threat of extinction
of whooping cranes, access to nesting sites is strictly controlled, limited only to researchers and park staff, and low-flying aircraft is prohibited in the area.
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
complex in the boreal forests of northern Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
and southwestern Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is the only natural nesting habitat for the critically endangered whooping crane
Whooping Crane
The whooping crane , the tallest North American bird, is an endangered crane species named for its whooping sound. Along with the Sandhill Crane, it is one of only two crane species found in North America. The whooping crane's lifespan is estimated to be 22 to 24 years in the wild...
. On May 24, 1982 it was designated a Ramsar wetland of international importance, one of two such sites in Wood Buffalo National Park
Wood Buffalo National Park
Wood Buffalo National Park, located in northeastern Alberta and southern Northwest Territories, is the largest national park in Canada at . The park was established in 1922 to protect the world's largest herd of free roaming Wood Bison, currently estimated at more than 5,000...
(the other is Peace-Athabasca Delta
Peace-Athabasca Delta
The Peace–Athabasca Delta is a large freshwater, inland delta in northeastern Alberta located where the Peace and Athabasca Rivers join the Slave River at the western end of Lake Athabasca.-Conservation :...
). It is owned by the Government of Canada
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
, and is administered by Parks Canada
Parks Canada
Parks Canada , also known as the Parks Canada Agency , is an agency of the Government of Canada mandated to protect and present nationally significant natural and cultural heritage, and foster public understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment in ways that ensure their ecological and commemorative...
with some input from Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
The Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development is the department of the government of Canada with responsibility for policies relating to Aboriginal peoples...
. Encompassing the northeastern portion of Wood Buffalo National Park, approximately 2,300 km² (14%) of the wetland is external to the park, on Crown land in the Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
. It is also classified an Important Bird Area
Important Bird Area
An Important Bird Area is an area recognized as being globally important habitat for the conservation of bird populations. Currently there are about 10,000 IBAs worldwide. The program was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife International...
.
The range is a complex of contiguous water bodies, primarily lakes and various wetlands, such as marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
es and bog
Bog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
s, but also includes streams and ponds. In addition to the whooping crane nesting area, the range includes two sites classified during the International Biological Program
International Biological Program
The International Biological Program was an effort between 1964 and 1974 to coordinate large-scale ecological and environmental studies...
.
Because the area developed through wildfires, "no natural forest fires in the area are extinguished unless they threaten structural facilities or...leave the boundaries of Wood Buffalo National Park".
A whooping crane census in 1941 counted only 15 migratory birds. There are currently 178 migratory birds which winter and breed in coastal Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, primarily in the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
Aransas National Wildlife Refuge is a 114,657 acre protected area situated on the southwest side of San Antonio Bay along the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Texas. It is located in parts of Aransas, Refugio, and Calhoun counties. The Aransas National Wildlife Refuge was established by Executive...
. Annual population surveys are conducted by the Canadian Wildlife Service
Canadian Wildlife Service
The Canadian Wildlife Service or CWS is a branch of the Department of the Environment, also known as Environment Canada, a department of the Government of Canada....
. A few breeding pairs of the nationally endangered Peregrine Falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
also nest in the range. Due to the significant threat of extinction
Extinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
of whooping cranes, access to nesting sites is strictly controlled, limited only to researchers and park staff, and low-flying aircraft is prohibited in the area.