# Renowned photographer completes 2,500-mile bike ride to raise whooping crane awareness  
**Published:** 2026-07-02T10:00:00.000Z  
**Source:** [Flatwater Free Press](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/a-nebraska-photographer-rode-his-bike-from-texas-to-canada-he-did-it-for-the-cranes/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/renowned-photographer-completes-2-500-mile-bike-ride-to-raise-whooping-crane

LINCOLN, Neb. — Conservation photographer Mike Forsberg completed a grueling 2,500-mile bike journey from Texas to Canada on Tuesday, pedaling the entire migration route used by endangered whooping cranes to raise awareness about the species and inspire conservation efforts along the Central Flyway. According to a report from [Flatwater Free Press](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/a-nebraska-photographer-rode-his-bike-from-texas-to-canada-he-did-it-for-the-cranes/), Forsberg, a [faculty member at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Natural Resources](https://snr.unl.edu/aboutus/who/people/faculty-member.aspx?pid=1607), completed the "Pedaling the Whooper Highway" project with conservation colleague Andy Caven from the International Crane Foundation.

The two-month expedition began May 11 from Aransas National Wildlife Refuge on the Texas Gulf Coast and concluded in central Saskatchewan. During the journey, Forsberg and Caven averaged about 55 miles per day, identifying 44 potential stops at important habitat sites along the way.

[Forsberg, who has spent 30 years as a conservation photographer dedicated to Great Plains wildlife stories](https://www.michaelforsberg.com/), said the bike ride provided an intimate perspective unavailable from vehicles or aircraft. "On bikes, you're a lot closer to the land, and all of your senses are engaged," he said during an early June stop in Nebraska.

The project aimed to address a significant conservation challenge: despite their endangered status, many people living along the Central Flyway know little about whooping cranes and their migration patterns. Today there are an estimated 835 whooping cranes, with approximately 550 in the wild, representing a remarkable recovery from a low of 15 birds in the 1940s.

The expedition included community engagement, with 23 cyclists joining Forsberg and Caven on June 5 for a 25-plus-mile ride along the Platte River from [Rowe Sanctuary to the Crane Trust](https://audubon.org/get-involved/citizen-science). The pair traveled with a support crew carrying supplies and documenting the journey with video and photos. [The Crane Trust, a nonprofit conservation organization protecting habitat along the Platte River in south central Nebraska](https://www.cranetrust.org/), served as one of several overnight stops.

Forsberg brought only an iPhone for photography, receiving instruction from National Geographic photographer Jim Richardson beforehand. Most crew members came from the [Platte Basin Timelapse project](https://plattebasintimelapse.com/), which Forsberg co-founded in 2011 to document Great Plains watershed changes.

Caven, now director of Central Flyway programs at the International Crane Foundation, noted the team's adaptability, having prepared 44 potential stops while knowing weather and other factors would shape their actual route. Conservation efforts along the Central Flyway have proven successful in helping whooping cranes recover from near-extinction, with habitat protection and research continuing to support the species' survival.

## Sources

- [Flatwater Free Press](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/a-nebraska-photographer-rode-his-bike-from-texas-to-canada-he-did-it-for-the-cranes/)
- [Mike Forsberg faculty profile - University of Nebraska-Lincoln](https://snr.unl.edu/aboutus/who/people/faculty-member.aspx?pid=1607)
- [Michael Forsberg photography portfolio](https://www.michaelforsberg.com/)
- [Crane Trust Nature and Visitor Center](https://www.cranetrust.org/)
- [Platte Basin Timelapse project](https://plattebasintimelapse.com/)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Flatwater Free Press, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://flatwaterfreepress.org/a-nebraska-photographer-rode-his-bike-from-texas-to-canada-he-did-it-for-the-cranes/.