Whoopin' it up!

For Endangered Species Day, celebrated on the third Friday in May, we're featuring North America’s tallest bird, the whooping crane. One of only two crane species found on the continent, these graceful birds can stand up to 5ft tall. By the early 1940s, they were driven perilously close to extinction, with fewer than two dozen birds in the wild. Thanks to conservation efforts, their numbers have risen to more than 600. But these incredible creatures remain at risk, particularly from the loss of their wetland habitat.
© Gerrit Vyn/Minden Pictures