 |
| Richard van Heuvelen sits ready in the ground-training trike as
Brian Clauss prepares to open the gates to the crane enclosure to
release the young cranes. |
 |
| All but one of the seven chicks exit readily. Chick 405 hangs back
a bit, not quite sure of what to make of the new gates. |
|
|
With some coaxing, even 405 exits the pen and joins his flockmates on
the grass training area. Brian rewards the young birds with mealworms,
dispensed from the crane puppets.
|
|
|
|
|
All seven chicks follow the trike as it taxis to the north end of the
strip.
|
|
|
Despite their young age, primary/flight feathers are already
developing and in no time they'll be able to get airborne.
|
|
|
After a successful first training session at their new home, each
crane is again rewarded.
|
|
|
Chick 405 was a bit gate-shy at first. This doesn't normally continue
for very long once they have entered and exited the new enclosure a
few times.
|
|
|
After the training session the cranes are led back inside the
predator-proof enclosure. Here the handlers spend time with them at
the covered feeding station. In the background is the gated wet
section of the large pen where they will spend their evenings learning
important water-roosting behaviour.
|
|
