Post 951: March 21st, 2022. The great Sandhill crane migration through North America may be the largest crane migration on Earth, but hiding amongst the hundreds of thousands Sandhill cranes are rare specks of stark white. To the unknowing eye, they are just discolored birds - but to those that know better, they are the rarest crane on Earth (and some of the rarest birds, at that). . Whooping cranes are endangered to this day, but they have come a long way since their near-extinction. In the early 1900s, loss of habitat and hunting had driven their numbers so low, that in the 1970s, there were less than 50 remaining. But thanks to the extensive breeding programs put in place, there are now an estimated 600 whooping cranes. . Populations of North America's largest bird are still growing, but they aren't without their threats. Hunting whooping cranes is illegal, but hunting their more common lookalikes is legal in many states. They also face similar threats as other endangered birds, such as habitat loss in important breeding areas and collisions with wind turbines and power lines. . . Read more facts about whopping cranes: https://savingcranes.org/whooping-crane-top-ten-for-endangered-species-day/ . Graphic shows a whooping crane. The factoid reads: "There are an estimated 600 whooping cranes around the world; in the 1970s, there were less than 50." . . #whoopingcrane #sandhillcranes #nebraskacranes #cranemigration #animalconservation #animalfacts #animalart #amazinganimals #pixelplanet #pixelplanettoday #pixelart #planetfacts #artivism #climatedesign