Seven Mississippi sandhill cranes dead

WAPT.com Article

GAUTIER, Miss. -- Seven of the 20 Mississippi sandhill cranes released in the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge in December have died.Refuge biologist Scott Hereford said another one of the cranes released in December was returned to the Audubon Center in New Orleans after suffering a shattered leg.Hereford said six of the cranes died in coyote attacks. He said another young crane is believed to have flown too low over Interstate 10 and collided with a vehicle.

The crane deaths occurred in January and February.The cranes were born and raised in captivity before being released in December into pens on the 20,000-acre refuge.Hereford said there are 112 to 115 Mississippi sandhill cranes surviving on the refuge.

The cranes are an endangered species.