Whooping Crane Day

HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 12
43RD LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 1998
INTRODUCED BY
RAYMOND G. SANCHEZ

A JOINT MEMORIAL REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR TO DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT OF GAME AND FISH TO DECLARE THE APPROPRIATE DAY AS WHOOPING CRANE DAY.

WHEREAS, the tall, stately whooping crane, Grus amaericana, with its immaculate white feathers, standing five feet high with a wingspan of seven and one-half feet, is the largest bird in North America, and there are few whooping cranes alive in the wild, including the few at the bosque del Apache; and WHEREAS, whooping cranes are well known as an endangered species, so their presence in New Mexico will help promote tourism to New Mexico, and New Mexico families like to go to the bosque to see these beautiful birds; and

WHEREAS, Kent Clegg, an Idaho rancher, wildlife biologist and pilot, and his crew, Errol Spaulding, Scott MacBush, Peter Clegg, Tom Stehn and James D. Lewis, by ultra-light plane, recently led a band of four whooping cranes and eight sandhill cranes on an eight hundred mile journey from Idaho to the Bosque del Apache national wildlife refuge in New Mexico; and

WHEREAS, the people who made this historic journey are concerned about the plight of endangered whooping cranes and are working to establish a new flock of the birds in the southwestern United States; and

WHEREAS, the Wild Friends want to educate young people and adults about the need to respect and save endangered species like the whooping cranes; and

WHEREAS, the people of New Mexico want to properly thank a great man for setting a good example of ranchers and conservationists working together to help mother nature; and

WHEREAS, the people of New Mexico admire Mr. Clegg's kindness, courage and determination, and he and his crew should be recognized for their noble effort to save our nation's wildlife; and

WHEREAS, the actions of Mr. Clegg and his crew may inspire others to follow in Mr. Clegg's footsteps to work to save more endangered species;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that Kent Clegg and his crew members, Errol Spaulding, Scott MacBush, Peter Clegg, Tom Stehn and James D. Lewis be commended and recognized for their historic effort to bring rare whooping cranes to the Bosque del Apache national wildlife refuge in New Mexico; and  

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the governor, with the assistance of the department of game and fish, be requested to declare the appropriate day as whooping crane day; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the governor and to the director of the department of game and fish.
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