Wildlife viewing in Northern Indiana

The Nature Conservancy’s Kankakee Sands Property, near Morocco, Ind., is an 8,400-acre prairie restoration project at the center of nearly 20,000 acres of preserved and restored habitat. Five years ago, a small herd of 23 bison was introduced to help restore the landscape. Since then, the herd has thrived, and there are now more than 100 bison roaming the Sands. Viewing is open daily until dusk, and Bison Rangers are on duty on the last Saturday of every month from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Central Time.

From October through December, the Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area, near Medaryville, Ind., sees the annual migration of thousands of enormous sandhill cranes. Last year the peak happened at the end of November and counts reached more than 30,000 of the giant birds at a time. The best time to view the migrating birds is at sunrise or about an hour before sunset at the observation platform at the Sandhill Crane Observation Area.

Both of these amazing destinations could easily be combined into one trip for a truly unique wildlife opportunity. For more information on both of these properties, feel free to visit the links below:

Kankakee Sands:
https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/kankakee-sands/?tab_q=tab_container-tab_element

Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area:
https://www.in.gov/dnr/fish-and-wildlife/properties/jasper-pulaski-fwa/sandhill-cranes/

Photo credit: © Trevor Edmonson/TNC