The birds, which are now at their wintering grounds at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, number 185, a tiny figure and a just a shadow of the thousands that once filled the skies during the great migrations south from their Canadian nesting grounds. But even at that, the flock at the refuge, the last remaining breeding flock in the world, is at a record number. The paucity of their numbers makes every death of a bird the potential first step toward extinction. Thus this year's punishing drought poses a dire threat to the whoopers. The drought has heightened salinity levels in inland waters, making the birds' natural food, blue crabs, harder to find.
Man can help to some extent.
Refuge managers have burned away plant covers to make it easier for the giant birds to find food such as acorns. Managers say the birds are under stress and could become susceptible to disease. With such a small number, the margin of safety for the species is razor thin. That the whoopers have survived is a wonder in itself. Yet with such a small number, every winter literally could be the last for a magnificent breed.