NECEDAH, Wis. (AP) - The first whooping crane of the season has hatched at Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in central Wisconsin.
The chick was born May 8 from the first nest of the year and was named W1-14, according to refuge. The W stands for a wild chick, 1 for the first hatch of the year and 14 for year.
But the Wisconsin State Journal (https://bit.ly/1hKXq7q) reports the chick faces long odds that it will survive until it can fly.
Problems occur during the 80 days after the chicks hatch. That’s when they must try to survive while growing enough feathers and becoming strong enough to fly.
Brad Strobel, the wildlife biologist for the refuge, says chicks often succumb to poor weather and are easy prey for predators before they are ready to fly.
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Information from: Wisconsin State Journal, https://www.madison.com/wsj
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