Look for Record Number of Whooping Cranes This Winter

Here’s some good news: the number of whooping cranes visiting the Texas coast may reach a new high this winter. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is reporting that the population of whoopers is exceeding 500 for the first time in 100 years. Of those, about 230 whooping cranes, including 40 chicks, are expected at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge near Rockport. These numbers compare with 220 last winter.