Radiolab – Raising Crane (December 4, 2012)
WNYC Studios
Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich
Reported by Andrea Seabrook

Overview

This episode explores the ambitious effort to save the endangered whooping crane from extinction. Through a mix of engaging narration and revealing interviews, Radiolab dives into the complex process of captive breeding, the quirks and heartbreaks of raising “rewilded” birds, and the larger implications when humans try to reverse the damage we’ve done to nature. The story takes listeners inside the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the science, emotion, and existential questions embedded in modern conservation work.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Magical Setting of Crane Conservation

• Andrea Seabrook visits the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, describing it as "like driving out of the beltway and into Jurassic Park" with lush old-growth trees and meadows, underscoring the return-to-nature mission. (02:14)
• The episode sets up the stakes: the center's attempt to “re-evolve” the endangered whooping crane, a species nearly driven extinct in the 1930s due to habitat destruction and hunting.

The Whooping Crane’s Dire Straits

• By the 1930s, only 16 whooping cranes remained in the wild, with merely four breeding females. (05:53)
• The scientists’ mission: bring these birds back from the edge, using a blend of biology, imitation, and human ingenuity.

The Surreal Process of Hand-Raising Cranes

• Eggs are gathered from captive pairs and incubated in large, carefully monitored hatcheries. (06:20)
• Newly hatched chicks first see a mother crane through plexiglass to encourage imprinting, but can't physically interact to prevent attachment issues and dependency (07:16).
• "We want to make sure that those young chicks know what they're supposed to be when they grow up." (Hatchery Technician, 08:16)

Crane Suit Parenting & Puppet Education

• Human caretakers wear white “crane suits” to blend in and use crane head puppets to teach chicks basic skills—eating, drinking, and foraging. (09:11–09:47)
• “They have to be taught everything.” (Sharon Perrigo, Technician, 09:28)
• This elaborate mimicry aims to prepare them for life as wild birds while preventing them from imprinting on humans.

Socialization & Migration Training

• In the wild, crane families are no larger than three; in captivity, trainers must teach chicks to accept others—a major behavioral leap. (10:24)
• Chicks are trained to follow ultra-light aircraft as “parental” guides during their first migration, learning routes never before flown by their species. (11:10–11:40)
• “That’s very exciting...You get all choked up.” (Sharon Perrigo, 11:40)

Successes and Lingering Mysteries

• The population rebounds from 16 to about 500 birds, marking a significant conservation victory. (12:56)
• Radiolab highlights the emotional impact and sense of accomplishment among staff and scientists.

The Heartbreaking Reproductive Failure

• Despite success in population numbers, a core problem remains: captive-raised cranes often abandon their eggs in the wild, leading to nest failure. (13:44–14:16)
• Theories include black fly infestations (14:35); insufficient food (15:23); or most compellingly, some unknown result of “funky” human-led rearing. (15:48)
• “They’re raised by animal caretakers in these funky costumes. They're in a very small pen that has a stuffed swan. This is not normal...for a crane.” (John French, 16:03)

Existential and Moral Reflection

• Andrea expresses growing ambivalence about the project. Is it right to “recreate” nature like this? Can these human-dependent cranes ever lead truly wild lives? (19:49)
• The cost is immense: each crane represents roughly a $100,000 investment. (17:33)
• Nevertheless, the work feels important and urgent to the scientists.
  • “Well, it’s the right thing to do and...well, what else are you going to do?...We’re not going to give up. We're gonna find a way to make it work a little better and then go have a couple beers.” (John French, 19:31)

Redefining Success in Conservation

• Jad raises the provocative question: What if the “rewilded” cranes never become fully independent? Is a new, human-dependent species still worth saving? (20:18)
• Robert finds this notion “sad,” while Andrea acknowledges her own uncertainty.
• The project’s future remains unresolved, perhaps requiring "dozens and dozens of years" to know if the cranes will adapt and reproduce naturally in the wild. (20:56, 21:05)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On the emotional confusion:
  • Robert Krulwich: "Does like a bad feel good story." (01:52)
  • Andrea Seabrook: "I came out of it really ambivalent, actually, which is totally counter my type." (19:49)
• On the extraordinary process:
  • Jad Abumrad: "These birds were hatched in an incubator, cuddled by stuffed swans, raised by humans in bird costumes, then taught to eat and drink by puppets. Now they're flying behind an ultralight plane on a migration route that never existed in nature." (12:35)
• On conservation’s persistence:
  • John French: "Well, it’s the right thing to do and...well, what else are you going to do?...We’re not going to give up." (19:31)
• On scientific uncertainty:
  • Andrea Seabrook: “So what exactly in that upbringing do you suspect might be the thing that is causing problems later…”
    John French: “Yeah. The real answer is I have no idea.” (16:31–16:36)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:14 – Arrival and vivid description of Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
• 05:53 – The brink of extinction: 16 cranes left in the wild
• 06:20–10:00 – Egg harvesting, hatching, and “crane suit” parenting
• 11:10–11:40 – Teaching migration using ultralight aircraft
• 12:56 – Population rebounds to 500 birds
• 13:44–16:19 – The mystery of egg abandonment and discussion of possible causes
• 17:33 – The monetary cost per bird
• 19:31 – The moral case for persevering in conservation, despite uncertainty
• 20:18 – The question of whether an “assisted” species is a valid endpoint

Conclusion

“Raising Crane” offers a thought-provoking look at the complexity, success, and heartbreak of conservation science when humans attempt to fix what they changed. Balancing hope and doubt, Radiolab leaves listeners pondering whether the human effort has created new kinds of nature and what, ultimately, is the goal of conservation: restoration, recreation, or something entirely new?