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16390
From: sheila, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Alabama To Allow Sandhill Crane Hunting After More Than 100 Years
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Texas and Oklahoma is going to allow hunting of these majestic birds. They mate for life and won't re-mate. They usually have only one chick that survives. Sad. Sandhill cranes were once on the verge of extinction. That influenced the U.S. to implement laws in 1916 to protect the species. But now that these migratory birds have made a steady comeback in recent years, Alabama has decided to permit hunters to kill three sandhill cranes each. The state hasn't had a new species to hunt in about 13 years — the last was an alligator in 2006. Starting in September, Alabama residents can register for a hunting permit. The registration process will be open for several weeks and is limited to residents 16 years or older or Alabama lifetime license holders. However, not everyone will be guaranteed a permit. "The Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Division will conduct a draw hunt of 400 permits to hunt sandhill cranes," David Rainer with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources said. "For the experimental season, we elected to keep the harvest below 10 percent because we wanted to take it slow and ensure hunting will not be detrimental to the population," he said. Residents are only allowed to kill three sandhill cranes per permit. Cornell Lab of Ornithology says sandhill populations recover slowly, partly because each breeding couple tends to have only one chick per year that survives. Sandhills are one of two crane species found in North America. They are gray-colored, large birds that stand about 3 to 5 feet tall. Alabama is the third state east of the Mississippi River to allow hunting the sandhill crane, joining Tennessee and Kentucky. |
16399
From: Eve, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: Alabama To Allow Sandhill Crane Hunting After More Than 100 Years
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This so discouraging, it's senseless to hunt them and is true they won't be able to find a mate as they all pair off and I seen them grieve too. They none here where I am in Florida in the past year I seen zero and heard zero and I used to see and hear them every day for years...now they gone....Urban sprawl and pollution, lack of habitat I guess they go elsewhere like Alabama but that does not mean they are coming back, it means to me they have less habitat in other places. |
16400
From: sheila, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: Alabama To Allow Sandhill Crane Hunting After More Than 100 Years
URL: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Sandhill_Crane/maps-range
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I found a really good map of their breeding grounds, key stopovers during migration, etc. I remember your posts about not seeing any of these beautiful birds in Florida. Where I live in the Willamette valley, we only heard them fly overhead once, the calls are unmistakable so we were so delighted to hear them. They are very much protected in Oregon and have a great breeding area on Sauvie Island near Portland. There's another breeding site in E. Oregon and one of our posters here, Karin who lives in the area has posted about their return many times. So sad that they opened up hunting now when so many things could still endanger that species. :(  The link to ABA is great, It has a "sightings" link, and more info too. |
Responses:
[16401]
16401
From: Eve, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: Alabama To Allow Sandhill Crane Hunting After More Than 100 Years
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Okay thanks. I still feel they are endangered no matter what is said and even if not I don't understand why killing them for sport. |
Responses:
None
16391
From: sheila, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Florida sandhill cranes denied protection under Endangered Species Act
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this is for Eve, she's talked about these beautiful birds in the past. The Florida sandhill crane was among 13 animals denied federal protection under the Endangered Species Act on Dec. 18. The unique-looking birds are a common sight in Osceola County. St. Cloud officials even voted to make it the city’s official bird earlier this year. The Endangered Species Act requires decisions about species protection to take two years, but on average, it has taken the agency 12 years, according to a press release from the Center for Biological Diversity. To address a backlog of more than 500 species awaiting protection decisions, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service developed a seven-year workplan in late 2017. Kim Titterington, a Kissimmee native and founder of an environmental education group called Swamp Girl Adventures, said she was disappointed to hear the news. “Losing protection on any animal like this, especially with continued development in Florida, is scary,” Titterington said. Titterington’s group specializes in protecting and rehabilitating turtles and tortoises, but the environmentalist said she’s still come across many injured sandhill cranes. Injuries stem almost entirely from cars, she said, and can result in broken legs, wings and pelvic bones. Titterington recalled a particularly heartbreaking case earlier this year where both legs on a young sandhill crane were destroyed and the animal had to be euthanized. “He was still fuzzy, he was so young,” she recalled. “I remember him looking up at me and just knowing he wasn’t going to make it.” The Endangered Species Act helps spread awareness about at-risk animals, Titterington said. If it’s not on the list, people may not even realize an animal or its habitat is threatened. SeaWorld’s Aviation Protection program continues to assist sandhill crane rehabilitation and education efforts. In May, the program’s agricultural director, Dean Moberg, spoke to the St. Cloud City Council about threats the bird is facing. He also mentioned the affinity local residents have for sandhill cranes. “When I’m out performing rescues in these areas, I’m down in St. Cloud quite a bit, and there’s a really strong community connection,” said Moberg. “There are those who don’t like them, but for the most part, they have a real strong bond with the community.” There are about 4,000 Florida Sandhill Cranes in the world, and about 400 of them live in and around St. Cloud, according to Jeannie Donohue, president of the Florida Sandhill Crane Preservation Society. The birds are still protected as “threatened” animals, but the decision Tuesday prevented them from receiving greater protections as an endangered species. |
Responses:
[16396]
16396
From: Eve, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: Florida sandhill cranes denied protection under Endangered...
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I have not seen or heard any Sandhill cranes in I can't recall when...there used to be many and the pollution and urban sprawl took over so they gone. I don't understand why anyone would want to hunt and kill one, they will walk right up to a person. Florida opened up hunting a few years back on the endangered Florida panther....it's crazy this world, so many discouragements and lack of value for other sentient beings besides humans (and even that comes down to other factors sometimes like what nation one abides in or is from, etc.) |
Responses:
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