An in-depth collection of information on the Biology, Husbandry and Conservation of the Crane Species. Worldwide, extinction of our flora and fauna is proceeding at catastrophic rates. We humans are fouling our planetary nest and making it uninhabitable both for many thousands of wild species and ultimately ourselves. For utilitarian, aesthetic, and ethical reasons, we must do all that we can to prevent extinction. The most important conservation strategy for most species is habitat preservation. This almost always means trying to prevent or to reverse man-caused changes in the environment. While habitat conservation is the key, captive breeding sometimes plays a crucial role. It may then be possible to release captive-bred animals once their habitat has been rescued, as has so successfully been achieved with the Arabian Oryx in Oman and Jordan, and with the Hawaiian Geese bred at the Wildfowl Trust. Even if no immediate prospect of release can be foreseen, endangered species must be maintained in captivity to prevent extinction and in hopes that habitat will one day be available. Captive management is not only a vital conservation tool in helping to prevent extinction, but there are also many spin-off benefits. The worldwide effort to propagate and conserve cranes is a shining example. Not only have there been many successes in rearing endangered cranes, but there has also developed an international spirit of cooperation between individuals and institutions in a dozen nations around the world. In addition to fostering international good-will in this way, the captive cranes provide many opportunities for research, answering questions that would be impossible to resolve in the field.

DAVID ELLIS is a communications consultant who has written frequently about the state of television in Canada. Specializing in audience research and regulatory affairs, he acts as Director of Research for the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting. He holds a doctorate in communications theory from the Sorbonne Nouvelle.

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