DEL NORTE, Colo.-
A sandhill crane named Baby who was raised by a ranch hand may eventually be turned over to a zoo after the ranch hand was diagnosed with cancer and Baby refused to join other sandhill cranes in the wild.
The crane will be cared for at a Colorado Division of Wildlife rehabilitation center near Del Norte in southern Colorado until a suitable home is found, probably a zoo, the agency said Thursday.
Ranch hand Roberto Lozano adopted Baby as a downy chick about three years ago after finding him alone and fearing his family had been driven off or killed by dogs, The Denver Post reported last month.
While living with Lozano, Baby would sit on the porch, eat cat food and sometimes fly to the nearby town of Naturita and stroll along Main Street. He also hung out on playgrounds.
After learning he had cancer, Lozano asked friends to try to get Baby to join other cranes in the wild, but Baby resisted, preferring human company, The Post reported.
Baby was then taken to the Schneegas Wildlife Foundation, a wildlife rehabilitation center near Silt in western Colorado, but staff there concluded he couldn’t be retrained, the Division of Wildlife said.
The crane “never learned to be wild,” said Tony Gurzick, assistant regional manager for the Division of Wildlife in Durango.
The crane’s story should be a reminder to humans not to touch young animals, even if they appear to be alone or in trouble, Gurzick said.
“Adult animals often leave their young ones to go off to feed or to distract predators,” he said. “Young animals are well camouflaged and learn their own survival skills when left on their own. We know people are well-intentioned, but the animal’s best chance of surviving is if it’s left alone.”
