Kansas became the center of the heated slavery debate when the territory was opened to settlers in 1854. Pro-slavery factions entered from nearby Missouri while abolitionist traveled in from as far away as New England. The vicious battles fought over slavery earned the territory the infamous name of “Bleeding Kansas.”
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Grus americana - Standing 1.8 to 2.4 meters in height, the whooping crane is the tallest bird in North America and one of only two crane species found in North America. Whooping cranes nest in Canada and migrate to Texas or Florida during the winter months. One of their migration routes takes them over Cheyenne Bottoms, Kansas, a wetland area serving as a stopping point for migrating birds using the Central Flyway. Whooping cranes are in danger of becoming extinct. There are less than 1,000 animals remaining in the wild.
