Biology Is Life !

From reading the New York Times artice i think what the group is doing is their best plan yet. The idea of trying to geta bird off the extinction list seems almost impossible. However, i feel that the idea of leading Operation Migration is an awsome plan. Instead of trying to breed more cranes, they are helping cranes migrate, and not die before they can reproduce. I really like the trike machine that they use. I like how they fool the birds by dressing up in crane costumes, and playing crane calls off their MP3s. To me this is smart thinking, and it doesnt generally harm any cranes. This gives each bird the chance to get older and reproduce properly. My reaction when i first read the article was surprised. To me this is more modern thinking. I thought it was kind of funny how they called people craniacts, and how the pilot would dress up as a bird. I also was surprised to know that these went down to 21 at one point, and the number was brought back into the 300s. To me that seems imposible, but i highly commend the workers of Operation Migration. I also didnt know they sheltered the birds from humans in fear of them getting too comfortable around them. However, I support what they are doing. Also, i think the government should help fund them. This is because right now there budget is based on individual donaters, and i have a feeling due to the economy, not as many people are going to be willing to donate this year, this might hurt their progress with the birds migration.
 

After reading the REALLY long article I think that this group is one of the best groups at helping animals get off of the extinction list. I love how they dress up and try to make the experience for a baby crane as realistic as it would have been if they were in the wild. They played an engine noise while the cranes were still in the eggs to get them used to regognizing the sound as a sign of a perental figure. This is very smart of them as they will regognize that soun as the figure they need to follow and it will help them stay on the right path while migrating. The migration they have to make takes only one week but streches from Wisconsin to Florida. However with human lead it takes 3 months. The migration only has to be shown to the cranes once and they will continue to make the trip the rest of there lives hopefully with no human help. Oddly enough during this trip not one biologist is there. The five foot tall bird that is lead by the group isnt to friendly. Which I find odd because they seem to be able to control themselves in an orderly fasion and make the journey without ending up with one bird cause it killed all th rest. Because they dont reproduce till they are about 5 years old its no wonder why they have a hard time getting off the extinction list. Some die of pollution in Florida before they get to that age especially when they were introduced there. I think that it is so sad that the environment is one of the major reasons why they are dying and because we have over populated there aret many places for them to go. We can help many species if we tryto do small household things to help the environment. The cranes will make the journey year after year and they will never know that humans were the ones that tought them how to fly and make the journey. I think that the way they are saving them is remarkable
I am so shocked that the government doesnt give them more funding. I think they need that money alot more than some building funds and completely useless plans that the government is working on. They re doing something that takes a quater of a year and hopefully will ultimatly save a dieing species.
 

Wow Mr J, you chose a veryyyyyyy long article but after reading it I realized that once an animal is said to be extinct, there is probably no possible way to save them before its to late. But also, Operation Migration (O.M.) changed my train of thought, a little. Since it says whopping cranes dont have an idea where to fly to migrate when they are born, O.M. plays plane engine sounds. By playing this the cranes will follow the plane no matter where it goes. Usually it takes a pretty short time but with the planes it can take up to 3 months. Since it takes so long they need to use peoples barns and fields to hold the cranes. I think anyone who helps hold the cranes for however long O.M. needs it, is lucky to be a part of this idea. When the cranes are being held at an area, its completley guarded and they are feed by people in disguises. I dont really understand why the pople are disguised but I think that's because mean people (who hate saving animals) wont know where the cranes are and cant hurt them. It can also save the cranes any scared feelings of lots of people coming up to them and watching them. I also like how this long journey only has to be made once for humans because the cranes will follow it every year after. To help support O.M. people just send in donations but i think the governemnt should help. It is pretty much our fault that the cranes are dying. If we show people what we do to fix what we messed up, more should donate. Even though our economy is falling to its lowest point, people still might help because sitting on our butts isnt going to save the environment. O.M. has the right idea to get people involved with saving the cranes and hopefully other animals can be saved the same way.
 

I think this article was intersting. Unfortunatly I think this is one species that will never recover. It spoke about how so far the cranes have not survived on their own. This is a real problem. I think at the end of the article the quote by Joe Duff is true. The whole world is extreamly messed up and no one seems to be able to do anything. I think it simply may be too late to fix things. There is still hope however if we can reintroduce other species we should be able to fix this. The idea of costumes is pretty cool since it limits how humans are directly interacting with the birds so maybe they can survive. I at first thought this was a joke. Who would want to spend a month flying with birds. But now i see this is very new and part of a new craze to help saved the planet.
 

Wow. I think it is amazing that those people care so much about about the whooping cranes. This story reminds me of a movie I saw once. It was about a girl who help a flock of birds migrate south in a glider-like plane. I think its cool that something similar to that is happeninig in real life. Its amazing how much progress they have had. They have brought the number of wild whooping cranes up to 381 from 21 in 1941. I think it is kind of funny that they have to dress up like the birds, but I can understand that it is neccessary to keep them wild. I never would have thought that they have to play the sound of the engine to the eggs so they would recognize the sound as trustworthy.I also think its great that so many people are willing to let Operation Migration use their land for the birds to rest. I think the government should help support them financially. It is our fault that the cranes are endangered. Its unfair that individual donors are depended on to pay for the project. With the economy as it is, what will happen to the cranes next year if individual donors can't afford to help finance the project? Will they find their way south? Will Operation Migration have to give up for the year? I hope they find out what is keeping the cranes from reproducing. If they can, they might be able to guide their young themselves without Operation Migration in the future. I think the scientists might be right about the fact that they can not hide the cranes from the way the world is now. Keeping them in the fake home they inhabit might not be the best for them. They might have to eventually be exposed to humans. (P.S. I love The Truman Show!!)
 

this article is very, very interesting. it is really interesting how they get cranes to follow a airplane type thing. this is preventing them from extintion. these bird are picky about where they settle. the plane takes them to a spot where they will like and prevent them from extintion. these bird are kind of stupid because they are following a guy dressed up as a crane. it works though so im not complaining. when these birds follow the air craft they sometimes stop so the "leader of the pack" land somewhere saftely and he waits for them to be ready.
 

After reading the insanely long New York Times article I believe that Operation Migration is doing an amazing thing . I never realized how many animals were in danger of becoming truly extinct . However , I also never realized how important it is to save these animals , and how hard that will be . I do not think that this goal is completely un - achievable , but I do think that it will take many trials and failures and a ton of effort on behalf of all Americans . Organizations like Operation Migration are inspiring because it is amazing to see that people can have such dedication to something that appears so out - of - reach . The people that take part of Operation Migration are true heroes , as is anybody who takes place in any form of animal extinction prevention . It is horrible that humans and the environment play such a big role in exctinction . If humans knew ten , twenty , or fifty years ago that this would be the outcome of pollution and urbanization I think things would be different . People need to realize that this is a huge problem , and until there are no animals left I don't think anyone will take notice . I also think that the government should fund organizations like Operation Migration . The government felt the need to make alist and try to prevent the extinction by making laws and lists , so they should also feel compelled to give these organizations money . It is not fair at all that the government does not help out organizations that help the country and society . I have hope that this species will be able to recover , because if they do it will hopefully inspire more people to try and help the animals . I thought this article was really interesting , and I hope that more people take notice .
 

While reading htis article, i was amazed at the measures that people today take in order to preserve wildlife. I'm not so sure if Operation Migration will be succesful or not, but their plan and execution seems logical. However, I still think that dressing up like a bird is hilarious. Humans are playing the roles of mother birds and nurture the cranes. I think it's amazing how they can somewhat simulate a bird up-bringing. For exampole, playing an engine noise to get the birds used to noises of parents was really smart. Operation Migration is really helping the existence of cranes, however they don't have much support. They should get our government involved with this project. This way,their efforts may be more effective. For example, when people become aware of the cranes' stituation, donations might be made to help the cause. Raising Awareness should be the first thing that Operation Migration should be doing along with the government. Many people are not bothered about endagered species or anything non-human-related. If this trend of not caring continues, our world, known for its wide variety of species, will never be the same.
I also think that the crnaes can't hide away from the humans forever. They are vulnerable to being in contact with the humans at some point. Although it is agianst their personality, I think it would be more effective if humans try to train the cranes to interacting with humans.There doesn't even have to be a lot of contact with humans, but the cranes should at least tolerate them. Also, i think scientists should research about how they cna help the cranes reproduce properly. After these things are done,there are less chances of cranes to be extinct.
 

I liked the article very much. (even though it was ALOT of reading)I think the operation migration team is very brave and smart. It is a great way to help the cranes be guided on the right migration path with out getting too involved that the whooping cranes need humans for everything. I think it is crazy and awesome how wild cranes can fly 1285 miles in about a week. It must be a very hard and long journey for the whooping cranes as well as for Chris Gullikson and the other operation migration pilots to fly for about 3 months. I think it is expecially hard to fly in the cold weather when migrating.
I hope the whooping cranes do not become extinct. It is almost impossible for a species to increase in numbers if there are very few left. The one problem I think the group of cranes in this article have, is that they have become so dependant over the big white whooping crane costume, that they may not be able to make the journey alone. Overall I love the idea of the whooping crane plane idea, and it should be supported by many people. This article just proves that there may be a way to stop a lot of other animals from becoming extinct if you try.
 

OK OK
I got the message... so the article is really really Looooooong!
...but it WAS good.

c'ya tomorrow
@rck.com
:)
hj
 

This article is very strange. It is weird how they get cranes to follow the airplane to help them migrate. This allows the species to remain around. They go anywhere though. The guy has them follow him to a spot where it is safe and there is plenty to eat. It is very strange that they actually follow the plane though. It makes noise and looks very different from all the birds, but I guess they don't have self recognition. Its a lot bigger though. I'm suprised they aren't afraid of it. This is very unbelievable, but if they do it and it keeps them alive its good.
 

This article was really interesting. HAHA and it was really long. I enjoyed reading how many people take alot of interest in saving wildlife. The birds cant survive on their own, so people in Kentucky decided to help out. I think it was a lucky move for the birds. They are lucky to live in the environment with people who care. i was surprised to read that the birds actually follow the plane that is provided to help the birds. The outfits that the people wore i thought were a little weird. I didnt like how they dressed like the klu klux klan but if it works. i was also surprised to read that there were over 100 people who showed up for this event.
 

I actually found this article interesting. I think it is sad that the whooping cranes do not know how to survive in theri habitat. I think the way Operation Migration is handling the problem is very cool. They are trying to teach the cranes how to survive in the wild without taming them. I think it is important to help the species, but having Trikes travel to Florida in three months seems a little much for me. I believe peopl eshould care the birds but, I presonally wouldn'thave the patience to do that and i would not feel comfortable if I was costumed as a bird. In 1941 there were only 21 wild cranes and now there are 381;I believe that proves we are making progress slowly but surely. I admire the fact that people in the operation are not just biologists and are people who truly care about animals. I learned that th elarge size of the bird made it a popular thing to hunt causing it to be near extinction. I found it weird that other whooping cranes became attracted to sanhills because that's the species they were raised by. The crane population is only growing because humans rear them in captivity. I learned that after we help an endangered species we have to keep helping them or they can't survive. I also found it sad that the diverted water from the river for the birdsbirds reduced the population of blue crabs, which is what the cranes eat. i hope with more people like the Operation Migration, more animals can have a start in becoming more populated.
 

I think Operation Migration is a great organization. These people have dedicated themselves to a bird so that the generations to come will be able to see it. They have already succeeded by getting the population up. The government needs to help them though. Humans need to stop taking over the cranes habitat. Operation Migration has got everything right though. They know what the birds need and they are always perfecting what their mistakes are. That shows real dedication. They are setting an example for everyone. One group can make a difference if you just try.
 

Mr. Johnson you picked a really long extra credit just had to put it out there. I have to admit the lead crane the group is using is an excellent idea. This group is doing g a great amount of work to save birds from extinction. The journey from Wisconsin to Florida is 1,285 miles long. Wild cranes can do it in as little as a week, swirling up to 8,000 or 10,000 feet on columns of rising air and coasting for miles. But the human-led migration takes longer — last year, it took more than three months. Operation Migration organization, a nonprofit on an unforgiving $700,000 budget, gets almost no government money and so is left to scrape up the majority of its financing from individual donors. The whooping crane, David S. Wilcove, a Princeton ecologist, claims is just about the most charismatic endangered species in America. The whooping crane is the largest North American bird. It stands five feet tall and has a stiletto beak and a raspy call that carries for two or more miles.In 1975, biologists tried, essentially, to outsource the job of teaching cranes to survive in the wild. They replaced the eggs under female sandhill cranes in Idaho with whooping-crane eggs, hoping the sandhills would foster those chicks through maturity. The biologists next tried to build a nonmigratory population. Whooping cranes don’t typically reproduce until they are 5 years old. The population is growing every year, but only because humans are rearing more birds in captivity, teaching them to migrate and putting them out there. Eighty percent of the species on the endangered list are conservation-reliant, and the list is growing. Even as the recovery team jump-starts a new population of whooping cranes in the East, threats are gathering around the longstanding population of wild birds. Then there’s climate change, which, among other things, is projected to put much of the crane’s current protected habitat underwater.Wilcove calls the whooping-crane recovery team “miracle workers,” and the resurrection of the bird in North America, provisional as it still may be, is a heroic accomplishment — and heroic in the somewhat Sisyphean way that any conservation work may be, since it requires rallying the will to build something you also realize the future is likely to erase. I think this organization has done a very great thing by helping the cranes from extinction. I understand that we are in a economic decline but it doesn't give the right for the government to ignore these problems. The government should fund organization like this that are trying to help save wildlife.
 

After reading the article, i think that it’s a good think that humans are taking their part in helping animals out. It’s great that they’re trying to get the bird to not be extinct anymore. The humans leading the migration take a little bit longer, but it’s better than letting the cranes go extinct. It’s also a good idea tricking the birds by disguise themselves. The babies almost get the real wildlife experience. I also think its crazy how the church doesn’t get money from the government to help out this cause. This article makes me realize how good people are. There were people making food for the people leading the migrations to wish them well. Since you only have to show the birds the way once, this can help save the extinction without producing more cranes scientifically. The cranes can reproduce by themselves. In 1941, there were only 21 cranes left. Due to the attempts to save them, there are 381. Duff says what they’re doing in a funny way, well at least i thought it was; “We were basically trying to ask the federal government to give us one of their most endangered species so we can dress up in a costume and lead it halfway across the country, with a puppet.” I never really realized that it would be so hard for people to save extinct animals. What these people are doing is the best they can do and its pretty much working. I’m really glad that people are taking a stand on what they think will be good for animals. I hope that we can save many more animals in the future.
 

After reading this absurdly long article from the New York Times, I’m motivated to help others. It’s astonishing what people would do after they set their mind to a specific goal. Operation Migration is simply one of the finest examples of helping endangered animals. I was shocked how much the whooping cranes recovered from 1941. Instead of setting themselves for pity and sympathy, the Operation Migration crew took a more hands on approach. Their dedication to helping the cranes is really astounding. I love how they nurture the whooping cranes and prepare them for the real world. To certain people, only crazy fools would fly around the world only to be followed by several whooping cranes.

This non-profit organization deserves some profit. After raising awareness, the government is bound to notice their good deeds, eh? The government should help Operation Migrations along with others organizations that help save endangered species. Once a species is erased, it’ll be impossible to revive them back from the dead. It’s going to be a scar on our lives, and we’ll deeply regret it.
 

I think that this Operation Migration plan is great! I didn’t know that humans scared the cranes away and decreased the population! So, in order to care for them in a well-mannered way, the people have to dress up as the cranes. The cranes must believe that the humans are birds in the suits! And I guess if there is no other older bird to teach you how to fly then hey why not a human in an ultralight plane? That must be some experience for both the pilots flying it and teaching the flying and for the birds who just really think that this plane is really another bigger bird. Whooping cranes are beautiful though! I think that it is great that the human population wants to give back and help the birds that we scared before in time. They are helping bring the birds back to where they should be in the winter. It is nice to give back to the community and in this case the birds!
 

I thought the article was very interesting. To know that people care alot about these birds is very fascinating to me. They are willing to fly with the birds in order to help the birds migrate. Even if I think the plan itself is kinda ridiculous, at least it works. Another thing I was amazed at was the budget. It costs over $700,000 to fund this project. They receive no help from the government either. Operation Migration actually has to go to individual donors to get the money. That itself is impressive. Organizations like the Operation Migration are needed. According to the article, twelve percent of the world’s bird species are threatened with extinction,as well as a fifth of all mammals, and almost a third of all amphibians. These organizations are what help prevent even more loss of wildlife. I commend the Operation Migration crew for their efforts in trying to preserve wildlife like the whooping crane.
 

As soon as i finished reading the article, my overarching opinion was that what these people are doing is great. We always think in our heads that it doesn't matter what happens to them, but in fact it does. Then migration assistance I thought was very unique and kind of the organization to do. Usually the government would only give money, but these people actually go out of their way to help these birds. From the article I also thought in my head about a topic they brought up. They talked about the possibility of keeping the birds in a place so they can be brought up well. If I were to have a say in this, I would say that they should be released to the wild. The only reason i say this, is because that is the natural balance of things and thats how its supposed to be.Keeping in mind that these are endangered animals, we should let it stay in its habitat unless it gets truly harmed. Summing things up, I'd say this was a very informative article for me, and it helped me learn more about something I would usually ignore.
 

Human responses to animal extinction have always been an engaging topic of discussion for me. While we, as individuals, have no obligation to sustaining a species, we feel compelled to prevent their loss. I believe that Operation Migration is doing an excellent job. With a relatively low budget (≈1.7 million, low compared to other groups), and dangerous, long, low-paying conditions, they sacrifice their time for a slim chance to make a difference for this species. I was slightly surprised that the cranes would feel inclined to follow the aircraft considering how noisy and unlike a crane they are. Also, the air blast from behind the airplane would make the air unsuitable for flying. One can’t help but feel a sense of lost hope while reading the final pages of this article. Many species are approaching extinction as human activities grow and it would be impossible to mount efforts such as these in an effort to save them. Furthermore, I would not want to be in charge of deciding which species should be preserved and which should not. Finally, I was surprised by the fact that none of the pilots had any solid biology backgrounds. However, despite my thoughts here, I feel that projects like these should be treated with close examination to make sure that tax-payer money is being used wisely and effectively. An ineffective campaign to end the extinction of a species would waste money and lower the importance of this task in the public’s eye, who ultimately decides whether or not efforts like these should be pursued. P.S. Sorry about the ten-minute lateness!
 

good morning !
:)
hj
 

i thought it was kind of that person to travel with the birds. not only does it help the birds but it gives inspiration to people to to acts of kindness. i suppressed that the birds even followed him since hes a human. and it is hard since he has to stop for gas a couple of times. this also helps with population growth and helps the birds reproduce before before the pass on. hopefully this story makes people and companies aware of the danger and changes we are causing in the Eco system. time will tell but i also know that this man can't do it for ever so he needs to get help fast.