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<br />.~...... <br /> <br />51 <br /> <br />12. Reduce mortalitv. <br /> <br />A number of whooping cranes disappear during most years and the causative factors <br />. are not fully known. Identifying causes of loss and applying remedial management are <br />important objectives. Develop methods to address mortality factors not considered in <br />subtasks below. Initiate research to measure impacts of newly detected mortality <br />factors and develop methods to minimize their impacts. . <br /> <br />121. Prevent shootino. <br /> <br />Three AWP whooping cranes have been shot during migration or on wintering <br />grounds in the last five years. Other unexplained losses may be due to shooting. <br />Substantial hunting of sandhill cranes and snow geese occurs in and adjacent to <br />areas used by migrating' and wintering whooping cranes. Sandhill cranes and snow <br />geese are' somewhat similar in appearance to whooping cranes and whooping <br />cranes may be misidentified and shot by some novice hUnter. State and Federal <br />wildlife agencies follow the Contingency Plan for Cooperative Federal-State <br />Protection of Whooping Cranes when whooping cranes occur in hunt areas. <br />Education programs should continue to increase competency of the public to <br />identify whooping cranes. and to make them aware of the species rarity and <br />protected status. <br /> <br />122. Diminish disease losses. <br /> <br />Loss of wetlands has concentrated birds using aquatic habitat, thereby increasing <br />the risk of disease. For example, avian cholera epizootics occur fairly regularly in <br />several crane use areas and this disease has been recorded in one whooping crane. <br />Methods of disease prevention, detection, and treatment need to be developed. Of <br />particular concern are avian tuberculosis, encephalitis, and crane herpes. Every <br />precaution should be taken to prevent whooping crane use of areas where <br />waterfowl disease outbreaks are underway or recently occurred. The Contingency <br />Plan for State-Federal Cooperative Protection of Whooping Cranes covers response <br />to disease incidents. Disease response efforts will be directed by the National <br />Wildlife Health Research Center. The outcome of disease research will determine <br />where prevention and control methods should be directed, as well as, whether <br />control will involve site modification, interspecific separation of use, or individual <br />prophylaxis (or a combination thereof). <br /> <br />123. Minimize chemical soills. <br /> <br />Numerous oil and gas wells and connecting pipelines are located in bay and upland <br />sites near the cranes' winter habitat. Many barges carrying dangerous chemicals <br />travel the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway daily through the heart of whooping crane <br />winter habitat. A spill or leak of these substances could contaminate or kill the <br />cranes' food supply, or poison the cranes (Robertson et al. 1993). The Fish and <br />Wildlife Service should coordinate, with the appropriate regulatory agencies, all <br />aspects of the oil and gas industry as it relates to whooping crane habitat. <br />Responsible agencies should be actively encouraged to inspect facilities to see that <br />