One advantage of living so many years is that much of what a young person might think of as history are actual events and patterns that shaped my life. Memory for such things is easier (at least for now) for lived experiences than for randomly memorized and unemotional facts and dates. As I have recently considered while researching a nonfiction writing project, our mid-century roller coaster ride of technological advances with seemingly miraculous laborsaving results were having subtle-to-catastrophic side-effects. Anchor species like bald eagles and timberwolves were nearly poisoned or hunted to extinction, air pollution was shortening life expectancies on a global scale, addictive tobacco smoking sparked cancerous increases despite tasty filters. The examples of such realizations are staggering.
Changes were made through the accumulated political and public pressure to save our resources, and, in doing so, to save ourselves and next generations.
As I view current digital, AI, and smart-technology innovations that also promise wondrous changes in our (nearly immediate) futures, my lived memory of that pattern from the past gives me pause, but also hope. I mention all that because I was living just an easy ride from Baraboo, Wisconsin where the International Crane Foundation pioneered ways to preserve the nearly-extinct sandhill crane population and restored them to natural migration and reproduction patterns. That is only one example from that tumultuous ecological recovery period.
Going back only a few weeks, I posted a review of Susanne Kaufmann's BLUE! That recent book showcased a magical-realism relationship between a young character and a blue heron. Their mutual appreciation and celebration of each other made me smile before I even opened the cover and I continue to smile whenever I think of the book. 
SMITHSONIAN KIDS/Candlewick, 2025
Cranes are visually obvious cousins of herons, with many similar elements in their appearance and in patterns of behavior. THE CRANE AND THE KEEPER, written by Meeg Pincus and illustrated by Gillian Eilidh O'Mara offers a similarly magical relationship between bird and human, but one depicting informatively accurate, real-world events.
We meet WALNUT, a twenty-four year old white-naped crane on the opening spreads, where we learn immediately that she presents a major challenge. She has lived in (and been shuffled among) many zoos, all in hopes of breeding her with others of her kind before their genes disappear from the planet. WALNUT, despite being a delightfully clever, curious and healthy bird, wanted nothing to do with any of the few cranes of her species.
She was kidnapped from her nest as an infant and deeply imprinted on humans. That's a sign she was treated well, but that poor choice activated an identity reaction not uncommon in birds. Imprinting makes them believe that they are the same species as the first beings who care for them. In this case, Walnut thought she was human.
The Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI), located in Virginia, agreed to take on the challenge with a newly-hired keeper, Chris Crowe. As a boy, his parents took him to Yellowstone National Park where he viewed a most magnificent animal-- a bison. After hearing of their near extinction, Chris reached a firm conclusion that guides him throughout his career:
"If humans harm wildlife species, then humans must save them."
Chris, only a few years older than WALNUT when he first met her, needed to be able to convince Walnut that he was her mate. She was far too old to un-imprint or avoid that process with techniques eventually developed that disguise human keepers as adult cranes so that imprinting won't occur. Instead, Chris would need Walnut to want to mate with him, to lay an egg that would preserve her species.
The ensuing pages are every bit as delightful as BLUE! in that Chris and Walnut engage in courtship dances, offerings of treats, and a years-long mutual trust-building. That process taught Chris what Walnut wanted in the way of foods and nesting while Walnut gained trust that Chris was always going to return, even if absent for periods of time due to work trips. In time Walnut welcomed Chris's attention and could be injected without distress, growing and laying her egg. Because imprinted cranes have no parenting experiences, Walnut's egg was taken to be raised by an adult crane pair. Walnut was given a substitute. That, too, required some innovative problem-solving before she settled into her role.
Despite my impulse to share even more details about the years of success that followed, I will hope that this summary urges you to get the book and read it through for yourself. You'll also find valuable and engaging back master and resources for further investigation of the topic. The narrative for this remarkable account spans years and global issues of consequence, but is appealing and kid-friendly. The illustrations will fascinate and entertain. The reference to breeding is young-age friendly, allowing as much or as little further discussion as adult companions prefer.
The timing on this book couldn't be more perfect. National Parks are a treasure and inspiration source that MUST be fully staffed and funded. Who knows what family trip might inspire another child (yours?) to rescue a species from extinction? The Smithsonian institutions, including the NZCBI, serve our nation and each one of us, even when we are unaware of the work they do. We need to be more aware, of course, and more outspoken in their defense. To learn more about the origins and mission of our National Museum system, explore the history of its establishment and mission here- launched with NO tax dollars.
Support from each one of us matters. We need to learn and encourage full understanding of our history, in science and in all things, to assure a safe, honest, and improving future for next generations. "Conservation" applies to more than raw resources or even species. It applies to our humanity and heritage. Speak up.
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