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EnvironmentWildlife9TuesdayJune252013ByRENEFRANCOEURAlmosteveryeveningfromMaytoSeptemberRonnieSchaeferofFortSmithcanbefoundinhishipwaderssloggingthroughmarshesonSaltRiverFirstNationreservelandjustdownfromLob-stickCreek.Hismission-completelyvoluntary-istowatchoverthetallestbirdsinNorthAmericathewhoopingcraneswhichnestintheareaaftera2500-milesummermigrationfromTexas.TheyremypassionandIwanttohelpprotectthem.YoucantseethisanywhereelsesaidSchaeferatownbylawofficerandSaltRiverFirstNationcouncillor.Canadaishometotheworldslargestmigratorypopulationofwhoopingcranes.AccordingtoEn-vironmentCanadatherearealmost300birdsintheWoodBuffaloflock-theonlyself-sustainingwildflockonearth.WhoopingcranesweredesignatedasendangeredinCanadaintheyear2000.ItwasestimatedbytheWhoopingCraneConser-vationAssociationthatonly16whoopingcraneswereleftontheentireplanetin1941-1942.Iwasprobably14whenIsawmyfirstwhooper.IwasouthuntingbirdsatFoxholes.WhenIcametorealizethesewereendan-geredbirdsIjustwantedtotakecareofthemSchaefersaid.IwanttosharewhatIknowandseewithotherssowecancometogethertohelppreservetheirhabitat.SchaeferhasnamedthetwoyoungcraneshesbeenkeepinganeyeonSnow-ballandSnowflakewhohethinksaredescendentsoftheoriginalLobstickpairwhichstillnestfur-therdownontheFoxholesprairieland.CanadianWildlifecounts74nestsin2013ManycranesmaketheirnestsinthetraditionalbreedinggroundsinthenortheasterncornerofWoodBuffaloNationalPark.TheirnestsarecountedeveryyearforasurveybytheCana-dianWildlifeServiceun-dertakeninpartnershipwithEnvironmentCanadaandParksCanada.Thisyear74nestswerecountedaccordingtoMarkBidwellaspeciesatriskbiologistwithEnvironmentCanada.Thatnumberisonelessthantherecordsetin2011at75.CountingthenestsgivesusanideaofhowthebirdsaredoingandithelpsustracktheirmovementhetoldTheJournal.Thenumberofnestsgoesupanddownfromyeartoyearbutoverlongperiodsoftimeitscontinuingtotickup-wards.Thatsapositive.Bidwellestimatesabout150birdsarebreedingoutofthe300intheflock.AswellBidwellnotedthepopulationcontinuestoexpandoutsidethepark.EightnestswerediscoveredoutsideWoodBuffalosperimetersthisyear-onemorethaneverrecorded.Additionallybreedingpairsknowntogobacktothesamenestyearafteryeararemakingnestsinnewlocationsneverbeforemonitoredbysurveyists.Fourtosixnewnestswererecordedthisyear.Whatthismeansisthepopulationismovingin-creasinglyintoareasthatarenotformallyprotected.Itsnotacriticalsituationyetasmostbirdsarestillusingtheparkandtheonesusingareasoutsidetheparkthoselocationsarestillquiteremote.InTexashoweverwheretheyspendthewinteritsdifferentandtheyarecomingintomorecontactwithpeopleanddevelopment.MorepossibilitiesofhumaninteractionwiththecranesalsoworriesSchaefer.Almosteverylongweek-endtherearepeopleoutquaddinginthisnest-ingareaatFoxholeshesaid.OntheMaylongweekendabiggroupwasheadedrightforthenestandifIhadntbeenheretostopthemtheydmostlikelyhaverunrightoverit...Theresthispercep-tionyoucangoquadany-where.Youcant.Thisisarestrictedarea.IputbigWhooperWarningsignsuptokeeppeopleawayfromthembutitdoesntseemtobeworking.SoniaTrudeauwhowentoutwithSchaefertoseethecraneslastmonthsaidshecriedwhenshesawtheeggs.Thatissomethingnoonegetstoeversee.Itssospecial.IvelivedhereinSmithallmylifeandneverseenthatshesaid.Morepeopleneedtobeawareofwherethenestsare.Weneedtoprotectthemandtheirhabitatortheywontbehereoneday.TheCanadianWildlifeServicewillreturntotheFortSmithareainAugusttodoafollowupsurveyonthenestingsuccessandchickproductivity.Typically40to50percentofthenestswefoundinMaywillhavechickssurvive.Thatsnotasbadasitsoundsforabig-bodiedbirdwhocanliveupto20yearsBidwellsaid.Whilemostpairslaytwoeggsusuallyonlyonechicksurvives.Sometimesthereareboththoughde-pendingontheyearandresources.MeanwhileSchaefersaidheplanstokeepacloseeyeonSnowakeandSnowballsrusty-browncolouredchickwhojusthatchedlastweek.Theyknowme.Icanreadthem.Iknowwhentobackoffwhentheyreinprotectivemode.IthinktheyknowImlookingoutforthemhesaid.FortSmithmanstandsonguardforwhoopingcranesCanadianWildlifenoteswhoopersexpandingnestingrangePhotoReneFrancoeurPhotoKlausNiggeAnelegantwhoopingcraneswoopsacrossthewetlands.RonnieSchaeferofFortSmithtakesacloserpeekatSnowballandSnowake.