Ontario’s hunt reopens for once-threatened bird
Ontario is set to allow hunting of sandhill cranes for the first time in a century following a successful population recovery. While conservationists celebrate the species' comeback, the decision has sparked debate regarding the ethics of hunting a bird that was once near extinction.
Why it matters
The case highlights the tension between successful wildlife conservation efforts and the management of species populations through hunting regulations.
By Leah Borts-Kuperman (Local Journalism Initiative Reporter)
Starting next month, Ontario hunters will have a shot at sandhill cranes — for the first time in a century.
The long-legged, grey birds with a nearly two-metre wingspan are widespread across Ontario from the Great Lakes as far north as southern James Bay — nesting in wetlands and swampy areas after migrating up from the southern United States and Mexico in the spring.
Mark Peck recalls waking up at 4 a.m. to see thousands of sandhill cranes fly over the banks of the Platte River in Nebraska, where 80 per cent of the species migrate to rest and eat before flying back south for the winter.
Like Peck, many of them travel from Canada, while others make the journey from Alaska and Siberia.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in