50 in 50 Challenge
LightHawk's inaugural 50 in 50 Challenge took flight June 15. So far, we've completed 11 out of the 50 flights with many more still to come! Thanks to volunteer pilots Alan Finback, Doug Paris, Ken and Gabrielle Adelman, Jane Rosevelt, Christopher Noth, Bill Rush, Jay Apt, Kurt Fischer, Barry Harper and Brian Williams for the missions they have flown during the Challenge.
This groundbreaking initiative is putting 50 conservation flights in the air over 50 days, covering diverse ecosystems and addressing urgent conservation issues all across the country.
Mission of the Month: Another season of Mexican Wolf cross-foster flights
Photo by Alex Jackson
In early May, LightHawk kicked off another season of Mexican wolf cross-foster flights with conservation partner, the Mexican Wolf Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) Program. Mexican wolves were almost eradicated from the wild in both the U.S. and Mexico. The population was saved from extinction by a breeding program that started with just 7 wolves. In 1998, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began releasing wolves back into the wild.
A lack of genetic diversity in the wild wolves remains a threat to their long-term survival. To address that, genetics from captive wolves need to be introduced into wild packs. Unfortunately, releasing adult captive wolves proved to be difficult for the wolves, and the making the transition to the wild was too often unsuccessful from captivity to the wild.
LightHawk In The News
- Endangered Mexican Wolf Pups Born at Brookfield Zoo and Introduced to Wild Packs (msn.com)
- Lighthawk Flight Aids Efforts to Preserve Oregon’s Beaches | Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition
- Volunteers Take Flight for Oregon Beaches (surfrider.org)
- RAW VIDEO: Cute Mexican Wolf Pups Bring New Hope For Endangered Species | Entertainment | crowrivermedia.com
- RAW VIDEO: Cute Mexican Wolf Pups Bring New Hope For Endangered Species
- ‘Precision ag’ promised a farming revolution. It’s coming, just slowly
- New book explores the Mississippi River's rich history | STLPR
- Oregon cub brought to Cincinnati Zoo to be raised by cheetah mom
- Cheetah Cub from Wildlife Safari to be fostered at Cincinnati Zoo
- Farm to Trouble: As conservation lags, so does progress in slashing Gulf's 'dead zone'
- Potential Relief for the Colorado River’s Near Future
- As conservation in agriculture lags, so does the progress in slashing the Gulf's 'dead zone' | Iowa Public Radio
- Could the Mississippi River benefit from Chesapeake Bay’s strategy to improve water quality?
Photo of the Month
Photo by Mitch Tobin, Water Desk
This month's photo is an aerial view of the Rio Grande Gorge near Taos, New Mexico. The photo was taken by Mitch Tobin during a flight with conservation partner The Water Desk. The Water Desk is a long-time partner with LightHawk, providing aerial imagery for important water-related conservation issues to journalists around the country.
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