European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 21, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                At right a whooping Crane greens at the a Tuxen wildlife research Center in Maryland. National geographic veterinarian Glenn Olson listens to the heart of a Young whooping Crane held by an assistant. My Ahill in dating service for whoppers 1� is. Fill a we by Donald Smith National geographic Andre the giant is one unhappy  3-year-old whooping Crane is being shooed into a Corner of his outdoor pen at the a Tuxen wildlife research Center in Maryland never exactly pleased to see people Andre glares at the intruders with Golden eyes and hisses named in Early Chick Hood for his exceptional size and bad disposition like that of the professional wrestler of the same name Andre is one of Only 214 of his kind left in the world a condition brought about largely by human transgressions. Now humans Are having some Success in bringing the species Back from the Brink of extinction. At the beginning of each mating season scientists try to arrange pairings that they Hope eventually will produce offspring of course there is no Way of explaining this to Andre who had been spending a peaceful morning with three female companions in the Roomy 40-by-120-foot runway probing the grass for edibles. Now his caretakers close in with upraised arms their protective goggles glinting in the Sun. A the could have chosen any of the three females he a been with a veterinarian Glenn Olsen says. Quot but he has t shown any preference basically they were just  playing matchmaker to cranes is no  kind of like a dating service Quot says Claire Mirande curator of the Only other captive Whooper flock in the world located at International Crane foundation Headquarters in Baraboo wis. Quot it s a real Challenge sometimes to get Birds together. They have to be genetically matched then introduced and they need supervision. They can be quite aggressive j to each other. Sometimes later we have to do marriage  until recently a Tuxen was the Home of 54 whooping cranes a one fourth of the species survivors and the Only captive flock. Most of the population 146 Birds live the wild migrating Between the Arkansas National wild Refuge in Texas and Canada s Wood Buffalo National Park. A smaller flock of 13 migrates Between new Mexic and Idaho. One Crane resides at the san Antonio zoo. Cranes Are remarkable animals. The tallest Birds ii North America they reach a height of about 4 feet b inches. They Are notably intelligent and develop distinctive personalities. Quot some Are Friendly and follow you around and son Are feisty Quot says a Tuxen caretaker Jim Stevens Quot during Breeding season their hormone Levels group and its like dealing with a tall ticked off rooster. Never especially abundant whoppers have been Over hunted and much of their habitat has destroyed. From an estimated 1,300 to 1,400 Bir before 1870, the population declined to As few a adults in the Early 1950s, making their comeback then All the More extraordinary. To cautiously optimistic Quot says Robin a Doug j University of Texas geography professor and a return of the whooping Crane University of i press Austin 1989. Quot the wild flock has done Page 14 a a a the stars and stripes National geographic remarkably Well in the last  besides discouraging Hunting the recovery Effort weeks to protect the wild Birds Breeding and wintering rounds and to raise captive Birds for eventual release Rito the wild in december 1989 the a Tuxen flock was split 22 Ere put into crates loaded onto a military Jet and Lown by Marine reservists to the Wisconsin preserve he idea was to ensure against a single disaster such s contaminated food or an epidemic that could wipe it the entire captive group. Andre s Macho displays notwithstanding the staff a Pes to find him a willing companion. Hopes Are also 9h for another Large male with Good bloodlines and a somewhat gentler disposition . A an offspring of no of Patoux Entz a first cranes. The female chosen by a Tuxen manager Scott Hereford to be  trial mate is Tarzana a Lithe Beauty named for some acrobatic tendencies she splayed As a Chick. Her specially was Bac flips. . Enters his runway first. Later Tarzana arrives in he arms of caretaker Jane Nicolich and jumps into the adjacent pen. For the next several Days the pair will be etched for signs of compatibility including staying lose to each other on opposite sides of the Chain link ence. To the Delight of the onlookers Tarzana Heads straight for the Corner where , is preening. They Eye each other for a moment at close Range Hen Tarzana seems to lose interest turning away and decking at the ground. But  stays pressed against he Fence watching her every move. They re Friendly Quot says Olsen. Quot that a a Good  National geographic whooping Crane National goo graphic a . Fish and wildlife service employee carries a whooping Crane from the a Tuxen facility at the Start of the Birds trip to Wisconsin. 21,1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 15