Florida neighbors work to save sandhill cranes after baby hit, killed by car: 'It's getting worse'

VIERA, Fla. - Cars keep killing sandhill cranes, and devastated neighbors are working together to try and prevent more deaths.  

Homeowners who live off Viera Boulevard took to social media after a beloved sandhill crane baby was killed on Thursday. A day later, they’re mobilizing to spread awareness and hopefully save a life.

The most recent car strike happened on Viera Boulevard, in a median, just before the US-1 railroad crossing. 

When a baby crane is killed, parents don’t just leave the area. They mourn and grieve. Neighbors noticed the parents looking at their dead baby’s body still in the spot where it was killed on Friday. 

"The whole family is kind of devastated. It’s very sad," said Shayna Ozer, who shared what her daughter saw on Nextdoor. She came home crying after seeing the baby dead in the street.

The most recent crane death hit home for Ozer because her family has grown attached to this family of four who just lost a baby.

Neighbors say sandhill cranes call the woods behind their properties home in a subdivision off Viera Blvd.

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"They’re just lovely," said Sam Elassaad, who shared pictures of the beloved neighborhood crane family with FOX 35. 

For the young crane, death struck far too soon, and this isn’t the only community seeing the issue firsthand. 

"It is getting worse every year," said Heather Pepe, who runs Wild Florida Rescue. 

Pepe is on the scene of crane strikes in Central Florida every week. Sometimes it’s the baby. Sometimes, it’s the parent. Every time, it’s just as heartbreaking.

"I choke up just saying this – there’s no way to tell the parent when you’re taking their baby; we’re just trying to help," said Pepe, holding back tears. 

Sandhill cranes are a protected species. However, they are threatened in Florida, where only 4,600 birds remain.

"People just need to slow down," said Ozer. 

Neighbors say reducing the speed on Viera Boulevard could help the issue in their community. 

"The speed on Viera Boulevard needs to be brought down to 30. It’s not only for the sand cranes. It’s for everybody’s safety," said Elassaad. 

The next step for the community is to try to make drivers aware that cranes cross the street often so that fewer people end up dead. 

"Maybe some signs saying, please slow down – sandhill crossing," Elassaad concluded. 

FWC does have a portal where you can report injured or dead cranes in the area.