Overview

• Walnut, a white-naped crane famous for her bond with human zookeeper Chris Crowe, has died at age 42.
• She was known for rejecting other cranes and choosing Crowe as her mate, a relationship that lasted nearly 20 years.
• Walnut's unique story highlighted the plight of her vulnerable species, with fewer than 5,300 white-naped cranes remaining in the wild.
• Her successful breeding through artificial insemination by Crowe resulted in eight chicks, contributing to conservation efforts.
• Walnut lived nearly three times the median life expectancy for her species in human care, thanks to her care at the Smithsonian's National Zoo.