Matt Mendenhall uncovers the silly antics of whooping cranes, from their strange “whooping” call to their captivating mating dance. He tells “The WildLife” host Laurel Neme how, as “goats” of the wetlands, whooping cranes will munch on whatever food is available. He also reveals how their large size, about 5 feet tall, lets them bully other creatures yet how one tiny creature, a common fly, annoys the bird so much that it drives these massive birds off their nests. Listen and learn what makes whooping cranes so special, how these endangered birds are making a comeback from a population of just 16 individuals in the 1940s, and what scientists are going through – from dressing up in whooping crane costumes to teaching the chicks their migration route by following ultralight planes -- to turn this story of near extinction of a species into one of hope and success. Matt Mendenhall is Associate Editor of Birder’s World magazine. He has written about all sorts of birds — from the common Northern Cardinal and Varied Thrush to the endangered Whooping Crane and California Condor to the presumably extinct Imperial Woodpecker. He grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, and is a graduate of the journalism program at Marquette University. This episode of “The WildLife” aired on The Radiator, WOMM-LP, 105.9 FM in Burlington, Vermont on January 4, 2010.
The WildLife: Protecting Wildlife in Cambodia, Suwanna Gauntlett
The WildLife: The Dark Side of New Species Discovery, Bryan Stuart
The WildLife: Aquarium Trade in Hawaii, Rene Umberger
The WildLife: Botswana's First Wildlife Vet, Steve Osofsky
The WildLife: Wildlife Biologist Adventures, Susan Jewell
The WildLife: Polar Bears, Robert Buchanan
The WildLife: Field Vet in Patagonia, Marcela Uhart
The WildLife: Simple Things to Help Wildlife, Mark Fraser
The WildLife: Whale Poop (and Whales), Joe Roman
The WildLife: Seahorses, Helen Scales
The WildLife: Elephant Trauma & Psychology, Gay Bradshaw
The WildLife: Detection Dogs for Wildlife Conservation, Megan Parker
The WildLife: Reindeer, Nancy Bazilchuk
The WildLife: Tapirs & Saving Scarlet Macaws, Sharon Matola, Part 2
The WildLife: Belize Zoo & Jaguar Rehabilitation, Sharon Matola, Part 1
The WildLife: Manatee Insanity, Craig Pittman
The WildLife: Orangutan Rehabilitation, Michelle Desilets, Part II
The WildLife: Orangutans, Michelle Desilets, Part I
The WildLife: Wildlife Filmmaking, Chris Palmer
The WildLife: Special Agent Basics - Training for Wildlife Law Enforcement, Sheila O'Connor, Part II
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