FEATHERS OF THE FUTURE: FIRST WHOOPING CRANES HATCHED AT THE ARCHIBALD BIODIVERSITY CENTRE
June 12, 2025
12 JUNE 2025 (Calgary, AB) – Wonder, hope, and resilience are woven into every part of wildlife conservation— but few moments capture these emotions more powerfully than the arrival of new life. At the Wilder Institute’s Archibald Biodiversity Centre (ABC), a determined whooping crane chick recently cracked open its shell, entering the world—followed shortly by another—marking a historic milestone: the first-ever whooping cranes hatched at the facility. Remarkably, both chicks hatched on May 28th—Whooping Crane Day—making the occasion all the more meaningful.
Parenting Through Partnership
The program moved to the ABC in the fall of 2023 and the whooping cranes were not expected to breed in 2024. It was anticipated that they would spend their first full year at the ABC settling into their new environment. Now in their second year, long-time pair ‘Tim’ and ‘Bombadil’, who have been together since 2014, laid two fertile eggs. One was cared for by the pair, while the second was foster-incubated by ‘Gary’ and ‘Inukshuk’, a bonded pair with physical limitations that make natural breeding difficult.
“Foster-incubating and foster-rearing are essential tools in whooping crane conservation,” said Caitlin Slade, Animal Care Manager at the ABC. “Some pairs, like Gary and Inukshuk, cannot naturally breed, but display all of the natural behaviours that make them excellent foster parents. Allowing them to raise offspring reinforces their own pair bonds and provides them with an opportunity to contribute to their species’ recovery efforts.”
This hatch is a compelling example of how foster-rearing and collaboration are playing a vital role in whooping crane recovery. It’s the result of years of dedication, teamwork, and daily care, all aimed at giving these cranes the best possible chance to thrive.
Unlike their striking white parents, the newly hatched chicks are covered in soft, rusty orange down, which they’ll gradually shed in the months ahead. Both chicks have received clean bills of health and continue to grow under the expert care of the Wilder Institute’s Animal Care, Health & Welfare team.
A Chapter in a Larger Conservation Story
The Wilder Institute leads Canada’s only conservation breeding program for whooping cranes—a species once on the brink of extinction. Once widespread across North America, whooping cranes were reduced to just 21 individuals in the wild by the 1940s due to hunting and habitat loss. Today, thanks to decades of coordinated conservation efforts, an estimated 698 whooping cranes now live in the wild.
The chicks hatched at the ABC may eventually be released into one of the two reintroduced wild populations—either the Eastern migratory population or the non-migratory population in Louisiana—or they may contribute to conservation breeding efforts, all helping to secure the future of one of North America’s most endangered birds.
“The Wilder Institute has been dedicated to whooping crane recovery for more than 30 years,” said Diana Christie, Conservation Program Manager for the Whooping Crane Program. “The two reintroduced populations remain fragile and are not yet self-sustaining, which makes every successful hatch critically important. By joining conservation breeding efforts or being released into wild populations, these chicks will contribute to their species’ recovery and help build a stronger foundation for the future of whooping cranes in North America.”
The Wilder Institute’s commitment to whooping crane recovery is rooted in strong partnerships, including ongoing collaboration with the International Crane Foundation (ICF). Together, they work to advance conservation through translocations and habitat protection, while advancing successful breeding efforts and long-term conservation strategies. The chicks will be transferred into ICF’s care in the fall, marking the next step in their journey. With the arrival of these two young chicks, a wilder, more biodiverse future comes one step closer to reality.
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Alison Archambault
Director, Brand & Engagement
403.232.7766 | 403.919.9482 | mediarelations@calgaryzoo.com
About the Wilder Institute
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 own and operate the Archibald Biodiversity Centre, a one-of-a-kind 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.