Young cranes from Florida moved to Mississippi refuge

Three young cranes, released onto the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge, spread their wings right way and took flight.

The Sun Herald reports the three released Tuesday, on a portion of the national refuge that is just east of Ocean Springs Airport, are about 6 months old, having been raised in captivity at the White Oak Conservation Center near Jacksonville, Florida.

Four raised in the New Orleans area were released into the refuge last week.

The seven join a population of about 125 cranes on the refuge, which is 30 square miles between the Pascagoula River and Ocean Springs.

The National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1975 to protect the endangered Mississippi sandhill crane and its wet pine savanna habitat.