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The Whooping Crane Conservation Association (WCCA) is a nonprofit conservation organization dedicated to preserving and protecting the whooping crane and its habitat for future generations. The Whooping Crane Conservation Association had its origins in 1961 when a group of conservationists concerned about the fate of the whooping crane formed the Whooper Club. The WCCA, as it is known today, was officially formed in 1966 and preceded the Endangered Species Act, and other groups involved with whooping cranes such as the International Crane Foundation and Operation Migration. It has always been a nonprofit organization of volunteers concerned about survival of the whooping crane. In the early years of the WCCA it functioned largely by influencing federal, state and provincial political decisions and educating the general public about the critical status of the bird. They influenced approval of the Endangered Species Act and pressured State and Federal entities to protect and provide refuges and laws favorable to the whoopers. They were most effective in influencing where Pitman Robertson Act and Dingle-Johnson Act federal taxes were apportioned to the States, to protect habitat. Key migration areas have been identified and refuges or nature areas have often been established in such sites. Research in Canada suggests that nesting habitat is not limiting population growth. In 2011, the WCCA partnered with other conservation organizations to acquire unprotected winter habitat in Texas.

The WCCA promotes recovery of whooping cranes, protection and acquisition of habitat, and works with State, Provincial, Federal, and other conservation groups in keeping the public aware of the bird’s needs. The WCCA maintains a website and produces the newsletter Grus Americana that provides current information on the status of whooping cranes and associated research activities.