Posted on 05/16/2007 12:24:00 PM PDT by george76
The number of bald eagles in Wyoming has grown to 185 breeding pairs, a population recovery that has exceeded expectations from ornithologists who predicted much lower recovery rates when the birds were first granted federal protection in 1967.
The bald eagle population is soaring nationally, as well, with the number of breeding pairs in the lower 48 states climbing from a low in 1963 of 417 to more than 9,700 today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Monday.
The population recovery offers evidence to some scientists that federal protection of the birds under the Endangered Species Act should be lifted.
"They're not facing extinction, and they are not threatened with moving into the endangered classification," said Bob Oakleaf, who oversees nongame species for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. "So we might as well reserve that act and the money and heartache and conflict that goes with it to the species that need it."
numerous other laws will remain in place to protect bald eagles when federal protection is lifted.
(Excerpt) Read more at beaufortgazette.com ...
Beautiful to watch!
They are beautiful.
It is good that they made this come back.
Glad they made the comeback. There should be enough for American hunters to take a few trophies now. These nanny-state regulations are outdated; they served their purpose. Now it’s time for this interfering “Endangered” Species Act to go.
Certainly Wyoming could use the tourism business.
Pretty soon, there’ll be a pair for every resident.
“;^)
About a year ago I had a nice landscape photo with trees in the background enlarged. The photo shop was impressed that the photo also had a bald eagle in it. I had no idea there was the beautiful eagle until the enlargement. It was a real bonus. Glad they are making a come back. This good news all Americans should be happy about.
have you ever been to Alaska? You state nationally when you mean the lower 48. You can’t go to Alaska without tripping over 20 bald eagles
A hiker off the beaten path is caught by a USFS Ranger eating a bald eagle and is handcurred, arrested and put on trial for his killing an endangered species:
Judge: “Do you know that killing a bald eagle is a federal offense?”
Man: “Yes I did. But if you let me argue my case, I’ll explain what happened.”
Judge: “Proceed.”
Man: “I got lost in the woods. I hadn’t had anything to eat for two weeks. I was so hungry. Next thing I see is a Bald Eagle swooping down at the lake for some fish. I knew that if I followed the Eagle I could maybe steal the fish.
Unfortunately, in the process of taking the fish I killed the Eagle. I figured that since I killed the Eagle I might as well eat it since it would be more disgraceful to let it rot on the ground.”
Judge: “The court will take a recess while we analyze your testimony.”
15 minutes goes by and the judge returns.
Judge: “Due to the extreme circumstance you were under and because you didn’t intend to kill the Eagle, the court will dismiss the charges. But if you don’t mind the court asking and I am kind of curious, what does a Bald Eagle taste like?”
Man: “Well your honor, it is hard to explain. The best I can describe it is maybe a combination between a California Condor and a Spotted Owl.”
The bounceback of the eagle (praise the Lord) may be because pesticides had nothing to do with their endangerment to begin with. As some have shown with population graphs (don't have ref this second), the eages' decline began before the invention of DDT, and their comeback began before "Silent Spring" hatched the idea that DDT was bad for birdies. That kind of eliminates banning DDT as a cause of the comeback.
My personal theory is that the deer, turkeys, hawks, coyotes, bobcats, bears, and mountain lions all began to come back around the same time, and for the same reason: The farmland that used to take up most of the space around inhabited areas of the U.S. began to go wild as farming got more efficient, and farmers' sons got out of farming. Fewer farmers also meant fewer pot-shots taken at predators stalking the barnyard.
The browse of berries and new leaves that grows up in the transition between farm and forest makes herbivores very happy, and the predators (such as eagles) very happy right behind them.
Thanks. I missed the lower 48 part.
Alaska must have at least another 9,700 too ?
Some native americans use their feathers for spiritual reasons too.
LOL!
How soon can we begin to have a regulated harvest for feathers, etc?
Well, I saw 10 in one tree once.
I wonder how many endangered species (of squirrel, etc.) these predatory birds are eating....
Matthew 24: 28
Wheresoever the body shall be, there shall the eagles also be gathered together.
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