Male and female pair discovered in Jefferson County on Monday, LDWF says
A pair of Louisiana whooping cranes that had been released from the White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area and living in Southeast Texas were found dead in Jefferson County on Monday.
According to a release from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the case is being investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
“While incredibly frustrating to lose two more birds we will not be discouraged in our efforts to try and recover this endangered species,’’ LDWF biologist Sara Zimorski said in the release.
Currently, 44 birds are part of a program underway to establish a self-sustaining population of whooping cranes in Louisiana.
The bird is protected under the federal Endangered Species and Migratory Bird Treaty Acts and by Texas and Louisiana state law.
Anyone encountering a whooping crane is advised to observe the bird from a distance and to report their sighting to LDWF by clicking here.
Whooping cranes are large-bodied, white birds similar to white ibis, white pelicans and wood storks, all of which must be distinguished from legally-hunted snow geese.
However, a red head and black facial markings along with a height of 5 feet and a wingspan of 7 to 8 feet make them very distinctive. In flight, whooping cranes display black wing tips and fully extended neck and legs, which extend well beyond the tail.
Anyone witnessing suspicious activity involving whooping cranes is advised to report that information to LDWF’s Enforcement Division by calling 1-800-442-2511 or using the tip411 program, which may offer a cash reward for information leading to arrests or convictions.
For more information on this case, contact the Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney’s Office at 409-981-7902.
