Whooping crane world population (472?)

[Ken Kinman]

Dear All,
      With whooper migration pretty much complete, the total population of whooping cranes appears to be approximately 472.  So in spite of some disappointing losses this year, the total continues to slowly climb.  I really do expect that they will reach the 500 mark next year, barring some unanticipated outbreak of disease at Aransas this winter or spring.  Even with the major outbreak of avian cholera rearing its ugly head in Utah last month (will it spread south??), I really think this is unlikely to affect the whoopers, and probably would only affect younger birds in any case.  Progress, slow but sure.
     ---- Cheers,
             Ken Kinman
             Hays, Kansas

Numbers of Whoopers:
   217--Aransas flock*
    79--Florida non-migratory flock
    48--Wisc.-Florida migratory flock
    55--Patuxent Maryland
    35--Intl. Crane Foundation (Wisc.)
    28--various zoos
     1--Homosassa
     9--"ACRES" (Louisiana)
  ___________________________________
   472--TOTAL

  *The Aransas flock could possibly increase by one or two stragglers by the end of December.  And Tom Stehn really needs a "full" day of good weather on a census day to get an accurate count throughout the Aransas area.