Red Crowned Crane Hokkaido Japan BW Canvas Print

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The Red-crowned, or Japanese, Crane is a symbol of luck, fidelity, and longevity. Ironically, the species was nearly wiped out a century ago because of hunting and loss of habitat. Fewer than 20 were thought to survive in the marshes of eastern Hokkaido, Japan. Residents awoke to the danger of losing the cranes and governments provided much-needed legal protection. Provision of food in the winter was begun to help the young birds survive. Protected, supported, and with a secure winter food supply the population began a dramatic recovery that has made it the great success story of 20th century conservation in Japan. Today there are at least 1000 of these cranes in the resident Hokkaido population and we were lucky to spend a day watching them feeding, putting on displays, and flying in and out of the feeding sites. Adult red-crowned cranes are named for a patch of red bare skin on the crown, which becomes brighter during mating season. It is among the largest of cranes, measuring up to...

Protected with PIXSY About Joan Carroll: I am a Fort Worth Texas-based outdoor photographer who feels at home while on the road...in Texas, in the US, around the world. Although travel and photography were dual interests from a young age, the coming of the digital camera provided undreamed of opportunities and unleashed previously untapped creativity. My photographic goal is to travel the world in a curious yet respectful way, taking the time to see and understand the unique story of each place I visit. Wherever I go I want to walk every street, hike every trail, ride the bus or metro, climb every tower, walk around and through every monument, and then do it all over again when the light changes. In every place, light, mood, color, and...