So Cranes May Dance: A Rescue from the Brink of Extinction

This is the story of the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, Wis., and its founders. Twenty years ago as graduate students in ornithology at Cornell, Ron Sauey and George Archibald dreamed of saving endangered species of cranes and preserving wetlands. They started modestly, with a lease of the family farm from Sauey's parents and the acquisition of some blind and crippled birds. Katz, a contributor to Bird Watcher's Digest and Birder's World , follows the fortunes of the fledgling organization through its growing pains to its emergence as a major force in conservation. It is a captivating account of setbacks and triumphs. A virus killed 22 birds in two weeks and there was a devastating raccoon invasion. But ICF had notable success in artificial insemination and raising cranes in captivity. One of the highlights is the search for wintering Siberian cranes and the transport of fertile eggs from Russia to Baraboo, an example of true international cooperation. (July)