THE ENDANGERED WHOOPING CRANE IS ONE OF THE RAREST AND MOST THREATENED BIRD SPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA. SINCE 2001, THE INTERNATIONAL CRANE FOUNDATION (ICF) HAS BEEN A LEADER IN REINTRODUCING WHOOPING CRANES IN THE EASTERN U.S. THROUGH COLLABORATION WITH THE WHOOPING CRANE REINTRODUCTION TEAM, WE ARE BREEDING AND RAISING WHOOPING CRANES AT ICF AND RELEASING THEM ON WETLAND WILDLIFE REFUGES PRIMARILY IN WISCONSIN AND LOUISIANA. PROJECT GOALS INCLUDE BREEDING, REARING, AND RELEASING WHOOPING CRANES, WHILE MAXIMIZING GENETIC DIVERSITY, PRODUCTIVITY, AND SURVIVAL. ANOTHER GOAL INCLUDES MAKING SURE CRANES ARE PROTECTED ON THEIR NESTING, MIGRATORY, AND WINTERING GROUNDS BY ENGAGING CITIZENS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS TO PROMOTE ACTIONS AND POLICIES THAT DECREASE MORTALITY FROM HABITAT LOSS, ILLEGAL SHOOTINGS, AND POWER LINE COLLISIONS. OBJECTIVES FOR THE PROJECT INCLUDE CAPTIVE BREEDING AND REARING OF CHICKS, PROVIDING SPECIALIZED VETERINARY CARE, UNDERTAKING TARGETED RESEARCH AND MONITORING OF REINTRODUCED CRANES, AND FOCUSED OUTREACH IN LOCATIONS WHERE REINTRODUCED CRANES EXIST AIMED AT REDUCING INCIDENTAL LOSSES AND BUILDING SUPPORT FOR WHOOPING CRANE CONSERVATION EFFORTS. ICF WILL BREED CRANES FROM OUR CAREFULLY MANAGED CAPTIVE FLOCK AND REAR CHICKS FOR DIRECT RELEASE INTO THE WILD. WE WILL MAINTAIN HEALTHY ADULT CAPTIVE CRANE PAIRS AT THE ICF FACILITY, AND REARING CHICKS TO FLEDGLING AGE. WE WILL ADVANCE CRANE REINTRODUCTION SCIENCE THROUGH STUDIES OF NESTING SUCCESS, HABITAT USE, AND CHICK REARING METHODS. ALL OF THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES DESCRIBED HEREIN WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ADDRESS HIGH PRIORITY RECOVERY ACTIONS IN THE AREAS OF INCREASING WHOOPING CRANE POPULATION NUMBERS, MAINTAINING CAPTIVE POPULATIONS, MANAGING GENETIC DIVERSITY, ASSISTING WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ADDITIONAL WILD POPULATIONS, AND EXPANDING CRANE EDUCATION PROGRAMS.