The whooping crane recovery is one of conservation biology most intensive and successful efforts, built on decades of captive breeding and reintroduction.
Each individual whooping crane is known and monitored by conservationists. Birds injured by powerline collision, lead poisoning, or predation receive emergency intervention when possible. The welfare of every individual matters in a population this small. Intensive management necessarily involves some welfare trade-offs, such as captive breeding, that are justified by the long-term population benefit.