The animal has maintained a “relationship” with the caregiver for almost 20 years
A white-crowned crane, one of the rarest birds in the world, called Walnut, he died at the age of 42 in the United States. The animal was well known on social media after a post highlighting his “love” for Chris Crowe, a humane animal keeper.
She died last week, aged 31, and left behind eight puppies. “Walnut was a unique individual with a vibrant personality,” Crowe said in a statement released by the zoo. “I will always be grateful for his bond with me.”
This different and cute love story begins in 2004. She met her keeper at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, after being rescued by a team from the International Crane Foundation. She was the cub of a pair of the species illegally introduced into the country.
Living with humans on a daily basis, he has developed a true bond with his caregivers. Second The Guardianthe zoo reported that she had no interest in breeding and had even attacked male suitors.
This worried the team, as its species is considered threatened with extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Today, fewer than 5,300 such animals remain in their native habitats in Mongolia, Siberia, Korea, Japan and China. Therefore, getting her to breed was a priority.
Crowe, according to information from the zoo, managed to conquer her after “observing and imitating” the actions of the institute’s male cranes during the breeding season. In the videos released by the institute, the caregiver appears offering food based on nuts, as well as grass and leaves, materials for building nests. In addition to flapping her arms in front of her, she responded by flapping her wings enthusiastically and dancing in a semicircle with her head bobbing.
Once he gained her trust, Crowe managed to artificially inseminate her using sperm from a male crane.
The attempt was successful and Walnut laid fertilized eggs which hatched into eight pups. The fertilized eggs were donated to other pairs of the species, who took care of them as if they were their own. Of the eight, one is Walnut’s son and the other is his nephew.
Furthermore, the relationship with his keeper appears to have been beneficial to his health: at 42 years old, he has nearly tripled the average life expectancy of red-crowned cranes in captivity, which is typically 15 years.
Earlier this month, caregivers noticed Walnut wasn’t eating or drinking. Even his favorite treats—frozen and thawed mice, peanuts, and mealworms—did not whet his appetite. Over time, he got worse and, as far as the team was concerned, he died peacefully.
According to the zoo, an autopsy revealed the cause of death was kidney failure.
“She was always confident in expressing herself, was an excellent and enthusiastic dancer, and was stoic in the face of life’s challenges,” Crowe said. “Walnut’s extraordinary story has helped draw attention to the plight of her vulnerable species. I hope that everyone who has been touched by her story understands that the survival of her species depends on our ability and desire to protect wetland habitats.”
Source: Terra
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