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ConocoPhillips Canada Renews Vital Support for Whooping Crane Recovery

November 7, 2024

7 NOVEMBER 2024 (Calgary, AB) – ConocoPhillips Canada has renewed its commitment to wildlife conservation, contributing $125,000 for 2024/2025 in support of one of North America’s most at-risk bird species—the whooping crane. As a long-standing partner of the Wilder Institute’s whooping crane breeding initiative, ConocoPhillips Canada’s generous contribution will directly support the Wilder Institute’s Whooping Crane Recovery Program.

“ConocoPhillips’ renewed investment in our Whooping Crane Recovery Program is more than just a generous contribution—it’s a powerful example of the impact that partnerships can achieve,” said Kathryne Gibson, Director, Development at the Wilder Institute. “Conservation is a shared responsibility, and through collaborations like this  we can secure the resources and support needed to address the complex challenges faced by species like the whooping crane. Together, we are not only safeguarding a species on the verge of extinction but also working toward a future where these magnificent birds can thrive in their natural habitats for generations to come.”

Listed as Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, whooping cranes are one of only three bird species in Canada facing such a dire status. Conservation efforts have shown remarkable progress. From a low of just 21 birds in the wild in the 1940s due to hunting and habitat loss, the whooping crane population has now grown to approximately 600 wild birds across four populations, thanks to dedicated recovery efforts.

Since 1992, the Wilder Institute has played an integral role in breeding and releasing whooping cranes into the wild, with ConocoPhillips Canada supporting the program for almost 30 years. Cranes hatched at the Wilder Institute’s Archibald Biodiversity Centre join a breeding flock under human care, with some individuals being released annually into the Eastern Migratory Population or the Louisiana Non-Migratory Population. The ultimate goal of the Whooping Crane Recovery Program is to establish two self-sustaining, genetically stable populations of whooping cranes, in addition to supporting the continued growth and resilience of the existing Aransas-Wood Buffalo Population.

“ConocoPhillips Canada is proud to support the critical work of the Wilder Institute in building the population of whooping cranes in the wild,” said Kathryn Johnson, Vice President, Corporate Services at ConocoPhillips Canada. “Our nearly three-decade partnership underscores our belief that collaboration is key to helping to solve the world’s toughest conservation challenges. By working together, we are making meaningful progress toward securing a future for these iconic birds.”

Partnerships like this are crucial for developing innovative solutions to conservation challenges and creating a future where people and wildlife thrive together.

Learn more about this collaborative conservation program at https://wilderinstitute.org/conservation/whooping-crane/.

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Photo credit: The Wilder Institute

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For more information contact:

Alison Archambault
Director, Brand & Engagement
403.232.7766 | 403.919.9482 | mediarelations@wilderinstitute.org

The Wilder Institute is a global authority on wildlife conservation, reintroducing threatened species to the wild and empowering communities to conserve their own natural resources to positively impact both nature and communities. The staff and volunteers of Wilder Institute are passionate about restoring balance to wildlife and human life, together. Using innovative science, our team is working to save threatened and endangered species and return them to the wild, where our planet needs them to be. We proudly operate the Archibald Biodiversity Centre, Canada’s largest conservation breeding and research facility. Our conservation expertise is in conservation breeding and community conservation, where we collaborate with community members to positively impact both nature and local communities. Learn more at WilderInstitute.org to join us in making the world a wilder place.