When talking about conservation as it pertains to the raptor order the Bald Eagle is the bird that most comes to mind. The Bald Eagle is extremely sensitive to human activity and prefers to live in isolation. In 1940, Congress passed the Bald Eagle Protection Act. This act made it illegal to hunt, harass, or sell Bald Eagles. Over the next twenty years the species population saw a rapid decline. So much so that by 1967 the eagle was official declared an endangered species under the Endangered Species Protection Act. In 1995, due to various conservation efforts including, outlawing of DDT pesticides, banning the use of lead bullets for waterfowl hunting, and strict regulations regarding disturbing their natural habitat, the eagle is reclassified from "endangered" to "threatened." Finally in 2004, the Bald Eagle is officially delisted and taken off the threatened species list. Their numbers have increased from 450 pairs in 1963 to approximately 7,700 currently in the U.S.
There are a number of current measures in place to ensure the population is sustained. Strict rules are in place regarding protection of their habitats. For instance, it is illegal to build within 330 feet of an eagle's nesting site. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife services names a few measures people should take to avoid disturbing the eagle:
- Protect and preserve potential roost and nest sites by retaining mature trees and old growth stands, particularly within ½ mile from water.
- Where nests are blown from trees during storms or are otherwise destroyed by the elements, continue to protect the site in the absence of the nest for up to three (3) complete breeding seasons. Many eagles will rebuild the nest and reoccupy the site.
- To avoid collisions, site wind turbines, communication towers and high voltage transmission power lines away from nests, foraging areas, and communal roost sites.
- Employ industry-accepted best management practices to prevent birds from colliding with or being electrocuted by utility lines, towers and poles. If possible, bury utility lines in important eagle areas.
- Do not intentionally feed bald eagles. Artificially feeding bald eagles can disrupt their essential behavioral patterns and put them at increased risk from power lines, collision with windows and cars, and other mortality factor
- Use pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and other chemicals only in accordance with Federal and state laws.
Sources
http://www.fws.gov/midwest/eagle/conservation/baea-moreconserve.html
http://lib.colostate.edu/wildlife/eagle.html
http://animals.howstuffworks.com/endangered-species/bald-eagle-conservation1.htm
It's good to see that the number of pairs of Bald Eagles are going up. Do you think that the DDT had a major effect on this birds? The numbers seem to increase as soon as they stopped using it.
ReplyDeleteIts nice to hear theres improvement, i know i was under the impression they were still struggling when this class started. I bet being the USA National Bird encouraged people to really help this animal.
ReplyDeleteThe bald eagle is definitely a cornerstone in the improvement of an endangered species, especially an American icon. The Peregrine falcon has been removed from the federal endangered list, but has had much less success in repopulating than the bald eagle.
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