Federal Agency To End Use Of Ultralights For Whooping Crane Project

"The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has decided it will no longer support the use of ultralight aircraft to lead young whooping cranes on their fall migration to Florida.

The decision ends the most visible and expensive strategy since 2001 to bring back the endangered birds to the eastern United States.

Officials announced late Friday that the ultralight-guided flights to the birds' wintering home on the Gulf Coast of Florida — now in their final days for 2015-'16 — will be the last."

Lee Bergquist reports for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel January 23, 2016.