Dr. James C. Lewis retired from his official duties as U.S.
Whooping Crane Coordinator in February 1997. Jim received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from
the University of Michigan and Michigan State Universities, respectively, and completed
his doctoral dissertation on sandhill cranes at Oklahoma State University. He continued to
work with cranes throughout his career and conducted and contributed to many important
research and management projects. Jim worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for 30
years, beginning in 1967 as Leader of the Oklahoma Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit.
Later he became Georgia CWRU Leader, and from 1984 to 1997 he served as the Whooping Crane
Coordinator and Recovery Team Leader. He was instrumental in developing international
agreements with Canada and 13 U.S. states to protect whooping cranes in migration and on
the wintering grounds, worked closely with the Grays Lake and Florida reintroduction
projects, and served as the Service's
representative to the Avian Power Line Interaction Committee, a consortium of national
utility companies which have supported research and developed line markers to reduce bird
collisions. He has authored or co-authored numerous book chapters and more than 70
published scientific articles, and he served as editor and co-chairperson of the first 4
Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop. Jim has been the recipient of many
distinguished awards throughout his career, including an honor award from the Whooping
Crane Conservation Association. He will no doubt continue to contribute to the
conservation of cranes and other wildlife as he enjoys his retirement.
Wendy M. Brown, Albuquerque, New Mexico
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Dr. James C. Lewis retired from his official duties as U.S.
Whooping Crane Coordinator in February 1997. Jim received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from
the University of Michigan and Michigan State Universities, respectively, and completed
his doctoral dissertation on sandhill cranes at Oklahoma State University. He continued to
work with cranes throughout his career and conducted and contributed to many important
research and management projects. Jim worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for 30
years, beginning in 1967 as Leader of the Oklahoma Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit.
Later he became Georgia CWRU Leader, and from 1984 to 1997 he served as the Whooping Crane
Coordinator and Recovery Team Leader. He was instrumental in developing international
agreements with Canada and 13 U.S. states to protect whooping cranes in migration and on
the wintering grounds, worked closely with the Grays Lake and Florida reintroduction
projects, and served as the Service's
representative to the Avian Power Line Interaction Committee, a consortium of national
utility companies which have supported research and developed line markers to reduce bird
collisions. He has authored or co-authored numerous book chapters and more than 70
published scientific articles, and he served as editor and co-chairperson of the first 4
Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop. Jim has been the recipient of many
distinguished awards throughout his career, including an honor award from the Whooping
Crane Conservation Association. He will no doubt continue to contribute to the
conservation of cranes and other wildlife as he enjoys his retirement.