What is happening? Why is #717 Wearing a hood over her eyes?

Photo Eva Szyszkoski, Tracking Intern

In March 2008, before the young cranes would make their first migration north without any help, #717 got a change in leg bands. The team took the PTT off #735 when it was clear she would not be able to fly on her own to migrate this spring. Then they put that PTT on the right leg of female 717. Dr. Richard Urbanek attaches the band while Sara holds #717 and Colleen helps. The hood over the crane's head prevents her from seeing the humans as they work on her leg bands. These young cranes have been carefully raised to never see a human form or hear a human sound. That helps them stay wild, as they were meant to be. Now they will naturally be afraid of humans and try to avoid them. This gives them their best chance of survival in the wild.