The Chicago Academy of Sciences
presents
Journey to Save a Crane
Overview of Video and Guide
The crane, revered for its majestic and elegant beauty and for its significance
as a symbol of fidelity, long life, and vigilance, is a living relic of
earth's prehistory. A survivor from the age of dinosaurs, its numbers are
now so diminished that, of the fifteen extant species, seven are on the
verge of extinction.
Scientists believe that the very characteristics that enabled cranes to
endure for millions of years now threaten their chances for survival. In
the face of encroaching civilization, the wetlands, around which the cranes
have traced their migratory routes for thousands of years, are rapidly disappearing.
Given their inability to deviate from their habitual flight patterns, the
disappearance of wetlands could well mean the demise of the species.
The preservation of the crane may depend on scientists' use of space-age
technology to study and preserve their prehistoric habitats and habits in
the face of modern-day encroachment on their ancient territories. Journey
to Save a Crane focuses on the efforts of Dr. George Archibald and a multi-national
community of scientists to save the Siberian Crane. The story begins in
the United States where Dr. Archibald and other scientists have succeeded
in increasing the population of North American Whooping Cranes from a low
of 15 in 1940 to over 140 at present. The American scientists are currently
working with scientists in Siberia, Mongolia, and China to apply knowledge
and techniques learned from restoring the whooping crane population to the
preservation of a species of Siberian Crane whose numbers have dropped below
20.
The video recounts two aspects of the international effort to save the Siberian
crane: increasing the crane population and preserving the cranes' natural
habitat. Both efforts depend on using information gained from close observation
of crane behavior.
The effort to increase the Siberian Crane population begins at the International
Crane Foundation, a species bank in Baraboo, Wisconsin. Here, cranes are
encouraged to lay eggs which are then shipped to a crane preserve in Siberia.
There, chicks are hatched and raised until they are ready to be bonded with
a pair of adult cranes. Each step in the process depends on intimate knowledge
of crane behavior: mating rituals, alarm signals, feeding habits, family
structure, and bonding.
At each step, human beings intervene in ways that simulate crane behavior
so completely that the cranes either accept the human being as one of their
own or behave as if a human being is not present. In one sequence of the
videotape, Dr. Archibald enters into crane mating rituals in order to encourage
a female crane to lay an egg. In another, a puppet of an adult crane is
used to feed a chick so that it will not imprint on the human feeder.
The effort to preserve crane habitats involves advanced technology and requires
the cooperation of scientists, politicians, and educators from a multinational
community. The wetlands used as crane breeding grounds cross the boundaries
of China, Mongolia, and Siberia. Their flyways cross several other national
and cultural boundaries including Pakistan, Iran, and Japan. The scientific
effort is directed towards identifying the cranes' migratory pattern. Scientists
locate the cranes by helicopter and attach radio transmitters to their bodies
which can then be tracked by satellites for up to 100 days. Scientists give
information about migratory routes to government officials in the crane-visited
countries so that they can set aside the wetlands as nature preserves. They
also provide information to educators who communicate it to people who live
in villages along the flyways.
The goals of the video and the Science Explorers guide are to:
1. develop in students a sensitivity to the environment.
2. sensitize students to the need for preservation of endangered species.
3. illustrate that multi-national cooperation is essential to the
preservation of endangered species.
4. explore career opportunities available in science-related fields;
Table of Contents
This abridged guide was developed from a more comprehensive guide created
by a writing team of teachers, educational staff of the host Science Explorer
Partner, and cooperating scientists. The comprehensive guide contains classroom
activities, field trips, and career information to encourage students to
consider science careers and have fun in science. The comprehensive guides
were developed with the support of the Office of Science Education Programs
of the U.S. Department of Energy.
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