Penguins 
Giraffes 
Hippos 
Bears 
Whooping Cranes 
Red Pandas 
Lemurs 
Amur Tigers 
Gorillas 
Grace, Elegance and Beauty
Gaze through rustling bulrushes in the heart of the Canadian Wilds and you’re in for an incredibly rare sight – whooping cranes. Only 400 of these graceful birds live in the wild. That number might sound low, but it’s actually quite impressive. With help from conservation organizations, including the Calgary Zoo, whooping cranes have recovered from an all-time low in the 1940’s, when the number of wild whooping cranes left in the world dipped to only 21 individuals.
The Whooping Crane Recovery Program at the Calgary Zoo is proudly funded by ConocoPhillips Canada.
You can find this animal in
Canadian Wilds
New Calgary Zoo Member Meets Marmots and Whoopers
Only a 45-minute drive from the zoo, the Devonian Wildlife Conservation Centre is a world away from the hustle and bustle of the city – and with good reason. Here, peace and quiet are critical ingredients for successfully breeding endangered species for reintroduction into the wild.
Learning Centre
Wild whooping cranes breed in Alberta’s Wood Buffalo National Park and the Northwest Territories.
At a Glance
Scientific Name
Grus americana
Weight
6 - 7.8 kg (13 - 17 lb.)
Height
1.5 m (4.9 ft.)
Conservation Status
Endangered
Habitat
Wetlands, marshes
Diet
Fish, small reptiles, frogs, crustaceans, shellfish, birds, insects and snails, and plants such as berries, aquatic plants and grain