Raising Whoopers: Saving North America's Whooping Cranes

By Maria Parrott-Ryan and Ryan Michalesko

The inspiring story of ingenuity and dedication that saved a remarkable bird from the brink of extinction.
The distinctive whoop-whoop call of the whooping crane could once be heard across North America. By the middle of the twentieth century, however, habitat loss and hunting pushed these towering birds--the tallest on the continent--to the brink of extinction, with only fifteen individuals left in the wild. In the 1970s, two young visionaries founded the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, Wisconsin, launching innovative efforts that would help change the species' future and bring "whoopers" back into our wetlands.
Rich with fascinating natural history, larger-than-life personalities, and unforgettable adventures, Raising Whoopers tells the remarkable true story of one of North America's most ambitious wildlife conservation efforts. Young readers will meet unforgettable cranes with names like Gee Whiz and Whoopsie, along with conservation heroes who hatched chicks by hand, performed crane courtship dances, and piloted ultralight aircraft across hundreds of miles to teach young birds how and where to migrate. Through triumphs, setbacks, and decades of perseverance, these wildlife conservationists demonstrated how creativity, science, and dedication can make a difference for endangered wildlife.
Geared toward ages 10-14, this engaging and accessible book introduces young readers to the captivating world of whooping cranes--and the scientists and ordinary citizens who worked together to ensure these birds had a future. The book concludes by showing that conservation is not just the work of experts--it's something anyone can be part of. By connecting the story of whooping cranes to wildlife and habitats in our own communities, Raising Whoopers inspires the next generation to look more closely at the natural world and consider the role they can play in protecting it.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1976601029
• ISBN13: 9781976601026
• Release Date: March 2027
• Publisher: Wisconsin Historical Society Press
• Length: 144 Pages