Walnut, Beloved White-Naped Crane, Dies at 42

The crane, known for her unique bond with zookeeper Chris Crowe, passed away due to renal failure.

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.