By Ranjan Bhaduri
Dec.16, (THAINDIAN NEWS) The Whooping cranes residing in Wood Buffalo National Park of Canada are not migrating as usual to Texas region this year. The delay in migration is largely due to unusually warm weather. Every year, the whooping cranes reach Texas’s Arkansas Wildlife Refuge by the middle of December but this year has been an exception to this pattern. As of now, around 200 birds have reached their winter destination while 39 cranes have not migrated since the weather is pleasant in the northern states. As long as the weather does not change, they will not fly.

A wildlife specialist involved with Arkansas Wildlife Refuge named Vicki Muller said that additional cranes have been found in areas like Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas. The Cranes that have reached Texas are in good state. During the last two years the migratory Cranes were hit by a food crisis, as Texas was undergoing a severe drought. More than 20 birds died during this phase. This year there is hardly any chance of such heavy casualties to occur.

The whooping cranes mainly feed on blue crabs during the winter. Muller expressed his hope that the Cranes will be fine this winter. The Arkansas Wildlife Refuge got adequate rainfall this year to sustain low salinity level and this will ensure that the birds get plenty of food supply. As a matter of fact, the Whooping cranes of Wood Buffalo are the sole natural migrating group. They fly more than 4000 kms during winter migration each year. Sadly, the birds have made their place in the list of endangered species.