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Visit Patuxent Research Refuge with Smithsonian Program
You are invited to join the Smithsonian Resident Associates for an October 10 behind-the-scenes tour of the captive breeding program for whooping cranes at Patuxent Research Refuge in Laurel, Maryland. Participants will learn how crane chicks are trained to follow an ultra light plane that leads them on their first fall migration to Florida.
The near-extinction of the whooping crane is a well-known story: Just a few decades ago, fewer than 20 could be found in the U.S. Now, there are more than 500. How do you breed birds in captivity to thrive in the wild? The visit to the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center will provide answers and offers the opportunity to see colonies of sandhill cranes, American kestrels and diving ducks, and enjoy a tram ride through forests, wetlands and meadows.
Following the tour, the Smithsonian Resident Associates plan to make a contribution to the Friends of Patuxent Wildlife Research Center and Patuxent Research Refuge. To register – even if you are not a Resident Associate, go to
http://residentassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/reserve.aspx?performanceNumber=211157.
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