Stuhr Museum's Crane Speakers

Crane Speakers

GRAND ISLAND, STUHR MUSEUM - Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in March, Stuhr Museum is proud to present a variety of speakers who will provide unique insights into the science, art and lives of the sandhill cranes.

All speakers will give their presentations in the Stuhr Building's auditorium, unless otherwise noted. Please check back often, as we will be updating speakers and information about their presentations frequently as the information becomes available.

Friday, March 28 , 11 a.m.
Karine Gil

Dr. Karine Gil, Population Ecologist at the Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust, will speak at 11 a.m. Saturday at Stuhr Museum. Her talk is entitled "Whooping Crane Life Cycle and Population Dynamic During the Last 30 Years."

There are a reported 260 Whooping Cranes left in the wild, and for much of her life Dr. Karine Gil has studied these elusive, beautiful animals. The Whooping Crane is not only the tallest bird in North America, it is one of our most spectacular and recognizable symbols for the conservation of endangered species. Since settlers arrived in Nebraska in the 1840s, there have been reports that whooping cranes (Grus americana) were observed here during their spring and fall migrations.

In addition, Dr. Gil will be asking for volunteers to help with the Whooper Watch program, which seeks to track Whooping Cranes through a network of spotters throughout the state. For more information on the Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust, log onto www.whoopingcrane.org.

Saturday, March 29, 11 a.m.
Will Locke

In his presentation entitled "Rocky Mountain Head Waters," Locke will speak on the study of the headwaters in the High Rockies and how they affect the Great Plains crops and wildlife. Locke taught at Hastings Junior High, where one hallmark of his career was outdoor education experiences for students. He developed the idea when serving as a scoutmaster for his son. As a Ameritus Professor of Teacher Education, he led practicing teachers on the "Trails Programs" so they could offer the same kinds of outdoor courses to their own K-12 students.

Sunday, March 30 , 1 p.m.
Kelsey O'Donnell

Across the world, the threat of bird flu has drawn a lot of attention from both the media and public health institutions. On Saturday, March 8 at 11 a.m., Community Health Nurse Kelsey O'Donnell will speak on the Avian Flu, and how the Sandhill Crane migration makes this area unique in terms of planning and prevention.

The Central District Health Department, where O'Donnell works, has been focused on planning and prevention for a possible Avian Flu outbreak for a number of years, and O'Donnell has been involved in the process. The migratory paths of the Sandhill Cranes, and the sheer number of birds have played into the CDHD's planning, and O'Donnell will discuss several issues nature lovers should be aware of.

For more information on the Central District Health Department and all their programs to further a healthy community, click here.