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14 whooping cranes hatched in Louisiana this year; 4 survive

There are only about 800 whooping cranes in the world.
Credit: AP
In this photo provided by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries a family of whooping cranes, including two juveniles, walk in a crawfish pond in Avoyelles Parish Bunkie, La., on Wednesday, June 16, 2021. The mother, one of Louisiana’s oldest whooping cranes hatched her first chicks this year, and 24 mating pairs nearly doubled the previous state record for the world's rarest cranes. But state biologists say that while 14 hatchlings pecked their way out of eggs this year in Louisiana, only four, including these two, are still alive. (Gabe Giffin/Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries via AP)

BATON ROUGE, La. — BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — One of Louisiana's oldest whooping cranes hatched her first chicks this year, and 24 mating pairs nearly doubled the state's previous record for the critically endangered birds. 

But state biologists say that while 14 hatchlings made it out of eggs, only four survived. 

They include both chicks from eggs laid by the female dubbed L7-11. 

She was among 10 birds released as youngsters in 2011 to start a new flock in Louisiana. 

There are only about 800 whooping cranes in the world.

All are descended from about 15 that survived hunters and habitat loss in a flock that migrates between Texas and Alberta, Canada.

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