The Crane and the Keeper: How an Endangered Crane Chose a Human as Her Mate

Walnut is a white-naped crane raised by people, and her close bond with humans makes life with other cranes difficult. She is friendly and curious but does not recognize herself as a bird, so several zoos reject her when breeding proves impossible. She eventually reaches a Smithsonian conservation institute, where keeper Chris Crowe takes responsibility for her care and works patiently to build trust. Their relationship becomes part of a true account about animal behavior, conservation, and the effort to protect a species.