Question

Initiated in 1975, sandhill cranes must unwit- tingly cooperate in the conservationists' project to raise endangered whooping crane chicks.

(A) sandhill cranes must unwittingly cooperate in the conservationists' project to raise
(B) sandhill cranes' unwitting cooperation is required in the conservationists' project to raise
(C) the conservationists require that sandhill cranes unwittingly cooperate in their project of raising
(D) the conservationists require sandhill cranes to cooperate unwittingly in their project to raise
(E) the conservationists' project requires the unwitting cooperation of sandhill cranes in raising

Answer 1

Biologists wear crane costumes when interacting with whooping crane chicks to ensure the chicks imprint on what appears to be their own species, which is critical for their reintroduction into the wild and for conserving this endangered species.

Step-by-step explanation:

Whooping crane chicks undergo a process known as imprinting, where they form attachments and trust the first moving objects they see after hatching. This can commonly be their own kind or their caregivers. To ensure proper species-specific imprinting and to prevent the chicks from imprinting on humans, biologists wear full crane costumes during their interactions with the young birds. This clever disguise helps maintain the natural behavior of the whooping cranes and is vital for their successful reintroduction into the wild. If human imprinting occurred, it could disrupt their normal behavior patterns, including their mate selection, which could be catastrophic for the conservation of this endangered species.