Grus americana

Once down to just 17 birds, only in zoo's, this Whooper is part of the captive flock that lives on an island in a lake in Osceola County, west of Melbourne.  The colored bands on the crane's legs let Florida wildlife officials keep track of individuals in the group.  I recently heard that this group is getting smaller (numbering in the 50's somewhere) due to predation by lynx and coyotes, and unbelievably, one was found slain with a bow and arrow.  Two other groups that migrate north in the summer and back in the winter are holding their own, tho last year's eastern fledglings (18 0f them) were tragically killed, just after arriving from their arduous first migration, confined in their special enclosure, by a freak thunderstorm.  This years group is doing ok.