International Crane Foundation

06/06/2026

✨ We are teaming up again with the Horicon National Wildlife Refuge—and new in 2026, the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge—to lead our popular monthly Whooping Crane Walks this spring through fall in Wisconsin! See the upcoming dates below. The walks begin at 9 a.m. CT:

Horicon National Wildlife Refuge (W4279 Headquarters Rd. off Cty Rd Z, Mayville, Wisconsin): June 11, July 9, August 13, September 10, and October 8

Necedah National Wildlife Refuge (N11385 Headquarters Road, Necedah, Wisconsin): June 17, July 15, August 19, September 16, and October 21

📸 Crane Conservation Fellow Jasmine Mateo leads a Whooping Crane walk at Horicon Marsh. Hannah Petrilli/International Crane Foundation

06/05/2026

For the Craniac in your life 🪶 Show your support for North America's tallest flying bird and the wetlands, grasslands, and flyways they depend on with our limited-edition Whooping Crane gear: bit.ly/3RWYp1t

Proceeds will directly support awareness for this rare and endangered species. Merch available now through July 1. Get yours today!

"I Give a Whoop" graphic by Jada Fitch Illustration

06/05/2026

"When I spent more than a week traversing the DMZ alongside [George] Archibald — who has also been migrating to Korea every winter since the 1970s — he explained that this forsaken land was all the cranes had left. More than half of all Red-crowned Cranes and 90% of White-naped Cranes on Earth now spend their winters in this sanctuary of last resort."

International conflicts may last decades, but collateral damage across the animal kingdom far outlasts the final shot.

06/03/2026

🥚 🐣 It's that time of year again—Whooping Crane chicks are hatching in Wisconsin! Check out our June update for the latest: bit.ly/4fjUo0W

The International Crane Foundation provides critical news and resources in the world of Cranes and Conservation. Whooping Crane Eastern Population Update - June 2026

06/03/2026

We are thrilled to announce the official launch of the seven General Management Plans for Zambia’s protected areas by the former Minister of Tourism, Rodney Sikumba — including the Kafue Flats landscape comprising Blue Lagoon National Park and Lochinvar National Park, endorsed by the seven Traditional Authorities and the Community Resource Boards.

The General Management Plan for the Kafue Flats is being implemented under the 20-year collaborative partnership between the International Crane Foundation, WWF Zambia, and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Zambia. The development of the GMP was funded by WWF. Additional support has been provided by GIZ to strengthen consensus and for the launch event. The launch was at Lusaka National Park, and brought together government agencies, civil society organizations, donors, implementing partners, traditional leaders, and the media — marking a major milestone toward securing the future of this globally important ecosystem.

As a legal requirement under the Zambia Wildlife Act of 2015, the General Management Plan provides a roadmap for balancing conservation with the socio-economic needs of local communities. It outlines strategies to strengthen community participation, promote sustainable tourism, and enhance conservation and law enforcement efforts across the Kafue Flats. In general, it provides a framework for decision making.

More than 160 stakeholders, including traditional leaders, government institutions, civil society organizations, and community members, were consulted in the development process, demonstrating the power of a shared vision and collective action in protecting Zambia’s natural heritage for generations to come.

📷 International Crane Foundation

06/02/2026

The International Crane Foundation was honored to participate in the launch of the US$9 million Global Environment Facility Kafue Flats Project, a landmark investment to restore Zambia's Kafue Flats, strengthen climate resilience, protect wildlife, and improve livelihoods for communities across this globally important wetland.

Launched by the Government of Zambia in partnership with WWF Zambia and the International Crane Foundation as the implementing agency, the project is the largest integrated environmental restoration and climate resilience initiative in the Kafue Flats in more than 20 years. The Foundation's delegation was led by President and CEO Dr. Rich Beilfuss and Vice President of Africa Programs Kerryn Morrison.

Over the next five years, the project will improve the management of 622,900 hectares of protected areas, restore more than 3,000 hectares of wetlands, place 25,000 hectares under climate-resilient management, and directly benefit at least 15,000 people through sustainable livelihood and capacity-building initiatives.

Together with the Government of Zambia, traditional leaders, local communities, WWF Zambia, and the Global Environment Facility, we are working towards “A Thriving Wetland for All,” protecting biodiversity, strengthening communities, and securing the future of the Kafue Flats.

Read more about the achievement: bit.ly/4vrtpVT



📷 Jim Ongowo/ International Crane Foundation

06/01/2026

Nebraska craniacs—meet our Director of Central Flyway Programs, Dr. Andy Caven, and photographer and conservationist, Mike Forsberg, this Friday, June 5, at the Audubon Rowe Sanctuary and Crane Trust! Andy and Mike are biking the "Whooper Highway" across the central U.S. to raise awareness of the world's rarest crane.

Learn more and register here: bit.ly/4o4tLj1

Calling all Nebraska craniacs!🚨🐥

If you’ve been following Mike and Andy’s journey and keep asking yourself “Why would anyone want to bike 2,500 miles to save whooping cranes?”, then it’s your lucky day! Mike and Andy will reach the Platte River next week, and invite you to join them at Audubon’s Rowe Sanctuary and the Crane Trust for a Q&A, bike-along, and barbecue.

10AM: Q&A with Mike and Andy at the Rowe Sanctuary visitor center, facilitated by Grace Carey. Join us to learn more about whooping cranes, their migration, and the experiences Mike and Andy have had on the Whooper Highway! If you are unable to attend in person, this event will be livestreamed on our Instagram page.

11:30AM: 20-mile bike-along with Mike and Andy from Rowe Sanctuary to Crane Trust. Bike with Mike and Andy on a short, two-hour ride. The route will mostly be on gravel roads. Transportation back to Rowe after the ride will not be provided.

6PM: Join us for a barbecue dinner provided by the Crane Trust. We are serving BBQ sandwiches, sides, and dessert. Drinks available for purchase from First Street Brewing Company. Learn about whooping cranes and mingle with Mike and Andy before they continue to pedal north!

Head to the link in our bio to learn more and register. Registration is preferred, but not required. We can’t wait to see you!

05/31/2026

There is real hope for one of Africa's most vital wetlands.

Zambia's Kafue Flats, a vast floodplain that sustains communities, wildlife, and livelihoods, has faced growing pressure from droughts, floods, poaching, and climate change. But a new $9 million investment through the Global Environment Facility is changing that story.

The GEF 8 Kafue Flats Project, launched this month, brings together governments, communities, WWF Zambia, and the International Crane Foundation in a shared vision: a thriving wetland for all. Over five years, it will restore degraded wetlands, tackle wildlife crime, support climate-resilient farming, and put thousands of households at the center of conservation.

This is where 30% of the world's Wattled Cranes live. Where the Kafue lechwe, an antelope found nowhere else on Earth, roams free. Where families have fished and farmed for generations.

What is good for the wildlife is good for the people—and for the cranes.

Over the years working with communities across Zambia’s expansive Kafue Flats, I have seen first-hand how deeply people’s lives and culture are tied to this vas

05/30/2026

Part 3 of behind-the-scenes with our aviculture staff! 🐣 In honor of Thursday's Whooping Crane Day, we're giving you a never-before-seen look at our important crane care areas that make Whooping Crane reintroduction possible!

In this video, Kim Boardman, our Curator of Birds, visits our isolation chick-rearing facility as we get ready for chicks to arrive!

We're so grateful to so many partners who have made this work possible, including the Association of Zoos and Aquariums SAFE (Saving Endangered Species from Extinction), and SSP (Species Survival Plan) programs.

We hope you've enjoyed a week full of Whooping Cranes!

🎥: Hannah Petrilli / International Crane Foundation