23-Year-Old Crane Kills Two Suitors, Falls in Love with American Zookeeper: Together for 19 Years, Producing 8 Offspring

In January 2024, at the Smithsonian National Zoo in the United States, the internet-famous whooping crane Walnut passed away at the age of 42.

For Walnut, this age was considered quite advanced.

In its wake, Walnut left behind 8 offspring and its beloved human companion, zookeeper Chris Crowe. Cro and Walnut have been partners for 19 years, their bond starting in 2004. Their relationship goes far beyond that of just animals and caretakers; it's more akin to a "marriage."

Walnut is quite an anomaly in the animal kingdom; it doesn't fancy its own kind. In the past, it even killed two of its male crane suitors.

In order to help Walnut successfully produce offspring, caretakers have searched for many outstanding male cranes for it, even transferring it to the Denver Zoo and the Cincinnati Zoo. However, Walnut not only failed to find a beloved partner but also gained a reputation as the "black widow," reportedly "slashing" the abdomens of two male cranes who tried to court it.

It wasn't until Walnut turned 23 that it met Cro. Cro's gentle and caring nature ultimately won over Walnut's heart, making them lifelong companions. In a Heartwarming Tale, a 19-Year Love Story Unfolds Between a Person from China and a Crane from the U.S.

Meet Walnut, a majestic Siberian Crane rooted in China.

Its parents, Mercury and Amazon, were illegally poached in China. Intercepted during transportation, they found refuge in a research center in Wisconsin due to uncertainties surrounding their origin and health.

Here, they hatched nine chicks, and Walnut was one of them. Its name, inspired by a nearby restaurant's delectable dessert, was a spontaneous choice by one of the volunteers caring for it.

Siberian Cranes are critically endangered, with only around 5,000 individuals left in the wild.

To encourage the bird mother to lay more eggs, some resort to egg theft - a practice where for every egg the bird lays naturally, one is taken by humans. This encourages continuous mating and egg-laying.

The stolen eggs are then hatched by machines and cared for by humans. While significantly boosting the breeding and survival rates of birds, it has also brought about a very serious issue. When these birds hatch, the first thing they see is humans. They come to believe that humans are their parents, leading to a series of identity recognition problems. For instance, they are unwilling to bond with their own kind and show no interest in mating with conspecifics.

In scientific terms, this is known as imprinting phenomenon. Take Walnut, for example; her imprinting on humans is exceedingly strong.

While normal White-naped cranes can breed at the age of 3, Walnut, at 23, shows no intention of seeking a conspecific partner. Despite human efforts to play matchmaker, she has even killed two suitors, earning quite a notorious reputation.

However, scientists have not given up on Walnut. White-naped cranes are incredibly precious, originally found only in Japan, China, Russia, and other areas. They are not native to the United States. Efforts to preserve this species are ongoing.

In 2004, scientists transported Walnut to the Smithsonian National Zoo. At that time, Kuro had just joined the institution. His job was to care for 17 cranes and 36 ducks, with Walnut among them. Meeting, falling in love, and nurturing the next generation!

Initially, Kro and Walnut didn't have a good relationship. Due to intense human imprinting, Walnut wasn't afraid of people and didn't avoid Kro when they first met. Instead, Walnut displayed threatening behavior: fearlessly approaching the wire fence, puffing up its feathers, and roaring.

Colleagues shared Walnut's aggressive past with Kro, causing him to keep his distance. However, work had to continue, and Kro, being a very responsible person, still took care of Walnut in every aspect of life.

Gradually, Walnut let go of its guard. Then, one day, the ironwood tree blossomed. Lowering its head, Walnut excitedly spread its wings and danced in a half circle while shaking its head, all directed at Kro.

Having spent a long time with the Siberian Crane, Kro knew Walnut was performing a courtship dance, essentially "courting" him.

As it turns out, Walnut had always believed itself to be a "person," which also explained all of its previous bizarre behaviors. To preserve the cherished genes of the Whooping Cranes, Kro made a commitment to become a "partner" with Walnut and embarked on the journey of learning how to be a good husband, awaiting the right moment for artificial insemination.

During this period, Kro made several efforts:

• He studied theoretical knowledge: learning about the courting and mating behaviors of Whooping Cranes, including the movements and calls of male cranes.
• He attempted to strengthen his bond with Walnut. Each day, he would lean forward, slightly bow, and then flap his arms slowly like wings, softly greeting, "Hey, how are you feeling today?"
• He trained Walnut to tolerate physical contact. Typically, he would touch Walnut's body with his hands, rewarding it with its favorite treat - frozen mice - if it didn't flee and could stand calmly.
• He learned how to build a nest and incubate eggs. When nesting, Crow gathers twigs and grass. Sometimes, Walnut seems dissatisfied and tosses the twigs directly out of the nest.

During egg incubation training, Crow also takes on the task of incubating the eggs, allowing Walnut to rest for a while. Walnut seems to understand and, after going out to rest for 15 or 20 minutes, returns to resume egg incubation.

After several years of training, Walnut seems accustomed to human companionship.

In March 2007, Walnut's courtship dance arrived as expected. Crow was ecstatic and accepted the dance invitation.

When Walnut shook his head, Crow shook his head too; when Walnut flapped his wings in circles, Crow's arms also moved up and down like wings, circling each other; when Walnut emitted loud trumpeting sounds, Crow also made similar crane-like calls.

Although Crow's behavior was peculiar and his calls not quite right, Walnut still accepted.

Crow stroked Walnut's back, Walnut turned around, spread its wings, and lifted its tail, indicating its consent.

Crow then injected the collected semen from other males (thunders) into Walnut's body, completing the fertilization. Caregiver Kro: I might never find a human partner again! After forming a bond with humans, Walnut became a star in the American animal world, and her life was complete. During the 19 years she spent with Kro, Walnut gave birth to a total of eight cubs through artificial insemination. One of her offspring has been living with her, along with her grandcubs, spanning three generations. In early January 2024, Walnut was hospitalized due to refusal to eat or drink, and despite treatment, she eventually passed away due to kidney failure. Reflecting on Walnut's passing, Kro mourned: "Walnut was a unique individual, lively in character, and I will forever be grateful she chose me as her partner." "She always confidently expressed herself, a keen and excellent dancer, resilient in the face of life's challenges." In the later years, Walnut was too old to continue breeding. However, Kro did not end their relationship, continuing to interact with Walnut as a partner, accompanying her in dancing, nest-building, and egg-hatching. Kro expressed, "I hope to accompany her for life, even in retirement, I will come back to work as long as she's here." Interestingly, in an interview, when asked if he had a girlfriend, and whether she would be jealous of Walnut, Kro jokingly replied, "Walnut set the bar pretty high. I'll never find a woman like Walnut, who lights up and dances when she sees me!"