What The International Crane Foundation does

The International Crane Foundation (ICF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1973 in Baraboo, Wisconsin, dedicated to the study and conservation of all 15 species of cranes. It operates from a nearly 300-acre global headquarters that houses the world's only complete collection of all 15 crane species, with a captive flock of approximately 100 birds across 65 breeding pens producing 130–150 eggs per season with an 85–90% chick survival rate. ICF runs conservation programs across more than 50 countries on five continents, with regional offices in the United States (Wisconsin and Texas), Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, South Africa, Zambia, and China, employing approximately 150 staff and associates alongside a network of hundreds of in-country specialists.

The organization's core technical capabilities center on captive breeding and reintroduction science, including proprietary isolation rearing using crane puppet feeding and costume disguise, double clutching to increase egg yield, artificial insemination, and a conservation medicine program with veterinary expertise. ICF is a member of four AZA Species Survival Plans, holds AZA accreditation with reciprocal admission rights at 150+ institutions, and participates in the International Whooping Crane Recovery Team alongside federal and state agencies. Its core products include the Crane Discovery Center visitor experience, the Ron Sauey Memorial Library as a global clearinghouse for crane information, a self-guided tour mobile app, school field trips, Girl Scout programs, an Annual Midwest Crane Count engaging 2,000+ volunteers across seven Midwest states, and the Whooping Crane Reintroduction Program for eastern and Louisiana populations.

ICF's revenue model is diversified across nonprofit channels: annual memberships ($55 individual to $10,000 Cranemaker tier), one-time and recurring donations (including monthly giving and planned giving such as charitable gift annuities and remainder trusts), government grants (a recurring USFWS stipend per Whooping Crane and the US$9 million GEF 8 Kafue Flats Project), visitor admission fees ($7.50–$14.50), school and group program fees, gift shop merchandise, corporate sponsorships, and a Wisconsin specialty license plate program. Its customer base spans conservation-minded individual donors, K–12 schools, government wildlife agencies, academic researchers, NGOs such as the Endangered Wildlife Trust, and local African and Asian communities participating in community-based conservation.

Name

The International Crane Foundation

Legal name

International Crane Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://savingcranes.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The International Crane Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1973 that conserves all 15 crane species worldwide through captive breeding, reintroduction, habitat protection, and community-based programs across 50+ countries, serving donors, schools, government agencies, and local communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation services
• Crane conservation programs
• Environmental education programs
• Captive breeding reintroduction
• Habitat restoration projects

Headquarters

HQ city

Baraboo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues and Donations: Annual membership program with multiple tiers providing free admission, AZA reciprocal benefits, newsletters, and event invitations. Individual memberships from $55 to Cranemaker level at $10,000.
2. Visitor Admission Fees: Admission fees at Crane Discovery Center: Adults $14.50, Seniors $12.50, Youth $7.50. School field trips $2/youth, adult group tours $12/adult.
3. Gift Shop and Merchandise: On-site and online gift shop offering nature-themed merchandise, apparel, books, and crafts. 10% discount for members.
4. Government Grants and Contracts: Federal government pays yearly stipend to care for each Whooping Crane kept at the facility. Additional grants from agencies like GEF for conservation projects.
5. Monthly Giving Program: Recurring monthly donations via credit/debit card or direct bank withdrawal. Automatically includes membership.
6. Planned Giving and Legacy Gifts: Charitable bequests, gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, and beneficiary designations supporting long-term conservation.
7. Corporate Sponsorships: Annual sponsors supporting the organization with various recognition and benefits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The International Crane Foundation conserves all 15 species of cranes worldwide through captive breeding and reintroduction, habitat protection, community-based conservation programs, and science research. It operates the Crane Discovery Center, a public visitor facility in Baraboo, Wisconsin, where visitors can view all 15 crane species and participate in educational programs. The organization also runs membership, adoption, and donation programs to fund global conservation work across more than 50 countries.

Product overview

The International Crane Foundation operates as a conservation organization offering a unified visitor experience centered around the Crane Discovery Center, which houses the world's only complete collection of all 15 crane species. The product portfolio includes in-person educational offerings (guided and self-guided tours, school field trips, Girl Scout programs), digital products (a self-guided tour mobile app available on Apple App Store and Google Play Store), research resources (Ron Sauey Memorial Library, Species Field Guide), educational materials (Activity Packets, Crane Trunks, Student Resources), membership/adoption programs (Membership tiers, Adopt a Crane, Crane Keeper sponsorship), and citizen science initiatives (Annual Midwest Crane Count). The organization also runs the Whooping Crane Reintroduction Program for species recovery. Core visitor programs operate seasonally (May through October) at the Baraboo, Wisconsin headquarters, with global conservation programs extending across Africa, Asia, and North America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Crane Discovery Center Public visitor education center at the headquarters in Baraboo, Wisconsin featuring live crane exhibits with all 15 crane species, guided and self-guided tours, a research library, and four miles of nature trails through restored prairie, oak savanna, and wetland ecosystems. Open seasonally May-October; approximately 30,000 visitors annually.
• Self-Guided Tour Mobile App Mobile application providing audio narration and self-guided exploration of the Crane Discovery Center grounds and exhibits for visitors using their own devices.
• Group Tours

Quantifiable outcome

• Siberian Crane population nearly doubled to 7,000+ over the last decade
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Conservation FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLand conservation partnership securing permanent protection for 3,300+ acres of Whooping Crane wintering habitat on the Texas coast. Coalition partner in landmark conservation achievement.
• Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner in protecting Whooping Crane wintering habitat along the Texas coast through the land conservation partnership.
• WWF ZambiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the US$9 million GEF 8 Kafue Flats Project to restore the Kafue Flats ecosystem, secure wildlife habitat, and improve livelihoods in Zambia.
• Aransas National Wildlife RefugecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCritical Whooping Crane wintering grounds. ICF helps identify and prioritize habitat, supports monitoring programs, and assists with land protection.
• International Whooping Crane Recovery TeamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative federal and international body guiding Whooping Crane recovery efforts. ICF provides leadership and technical expertise.
• Texas A&M UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partnership supporting crane conservation science and population monitoring in Texas.
• Texas Parks & Wildlife DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partnership for Whooping Crane recovery, population monitoring, and habitat management along Texas coast.
• United States Geological Society (USGS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientific research and monitoring collaboration for crane population assessment and conservation studies.
• United States Fish and Wildlife ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partnership for endangered species protection, habitat management, and Species Survival Plan leadership for captive breeding programs.
• University of WisconsinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for conservation research, education, and student mentorship in Wisconsin.
• Whooping Crane Reintroduction TeamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative team leading efforts to establish self-sustaining populations of Whooping Cranes in eastern North America and Louisiana.
• Endangered Wildlife TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth African partner for Blue Crane research and monitoring, species-focused conservation addressing four crane species across southern Africa.
• Government of the Republic of ZambiacoreOthersMinistry of Green Economy and Environment leading the GEF 8 Kafue Flats Project in partnership with ICF and WWF Zambia.
• Wetland Nature Reserves (China)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with wetland nature reserves in China including Zhalong, Momoge, Xianghai, Tumuji, and Muraviovka for crane habitat protection.
• Mekong Wetland University NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMentoring development of network to expand wetland and crane status surveys, research, and conservation scientist training across Mekong countries.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: Global conservation nonprofit with land acquisition programs and government partnerships; comparable in scale, mission, and the use of land deals to protect habitat.
• San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance: Operates a major zoo with conservation and species recovery programs, including work on California Condor — closely comparable to ICF's combination of captive breeding and field conservation.
• World Wildlife Fund: Largest global wildlife conservation NGO; comparable as a multi-species, multi-country conservation organization with similar advocacy, government partnership, and donor-supported funding model — though much broader in scope.

Direct peers

• Defenders of Wildlife: U.S. wildlife conservation and policy advocacy organization with comparable endangered species protection, federal agency partnerships, and donor-funded model.
• BirdLife International: Global partnership of bird conservation organizations across 100+ countries; directly comparable in species-focused bird conservation, IUCN Red List work, and international program structure.
• African Wildlife Foundation: Africa-focused wildlife conservation NGO with comparable community-based conservation, habitat protection, and partnerships with local communities and governments.
• Rare: Conservation NGO focused on community-based conservation, behavior change campaigns, and species protection — comparable in the social-prong approach to wildlife conservation.
• Wildlife Conservation Society: Operates zoos and aquariums while running global field conservation programs — closely comparable to ICF's combination of captive breeding expertise, field conservation, and visitor-facing exhibits.
• National Audubon Society: Bird-focused conservation organization with comparable citizen science (Christmas Bird Count), chapter network, conservation advocacy, and member-supported revenue model; directly comparable in mission focus on avian species.

Emerging players

• Pan African Sanctuary Alliance: Alliance of wildlife sanctuaries across Africa focused on primate and other species rescue and rehabilitation — adjacent to ICF's reintroduction work and African regional footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/savingcranes
• Facebookfacebook.com/savingcranes
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-crane-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The International Crane Foundation