America's Bald Eagles Prepare to Fly on Their Own

June 1, 2007 -- Statement by John Kostyack, Director of Wildlife Conservation Campaigns, National Wildlife Federation On U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announcement of a new strategy to manage bald eagles once they are removed from the list of threatened and endangered species.

Washington, DC (June 1, 2007) - “This new plan ensures that bald eagles will continue to flourish and be adequately protected once they are removed from the list of threatened and endangered species.

“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has looked at the science, listened to the public and followed the law in preparing this regulatory framework. As a result, we have a plan for safeguarding habitat and guiding future management of bald eagles.

“Thanks to the Endangered Species Act, bald eagles are ready to fly on their own. The birds are thriving and all the recovery goals are met. We are making sure all the i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed before taking the last step and delisting the species.

“The success of the bald eagle is a success for all Americans. The Endangered Species Act provided the framework for the bald eagle’s recovery, but it has taken the will and actions of individuals to bring the bird back from the brink of extinction and restore it to the healthy numbers we have today.

“The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection will be the primary law for managing bald eagles after they are removed from the Endangered Species Act’s protections. By locking in strong protections under this law today we secure a future for eagles tomorrow.

“We applaud U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for listening to public concerns and enacting meaningful measures to safeguard eagles and their habitat for generations to come.

“Forty years ago we almost lost the bald eagle in the continental U.S. because of our recklessness. But as the bird teetered on the edge, Americans took a bold step and vowed to restore our national symbol to health. Today we are one step closer to fulfilling that promise.

“Once again we have proof that Endangered Species Act works. Only with a strong, fully funded Endangered Species Act will we continue to see bald eagles in our skies, wild salmon in our rivers, and grizzly bears in our American West.

“When Americans first realized our national symbol was in danger of being lost forever, there were only 417 nesting pairs left in the lower 48 states. Today, eagle numbers are strong with over 9,000 breeding pairs spread across the lower 48.

“The banning of DDT in 1972, passage of the Endangered Species Act in 1973, and reintroduction efforts by scientists and citizens across the country have all contributed to the success we celebrate today.”

The National Wildlife Federation is America’s conservation organization protecting wildlife for our children’s future. www.nwf.org.

Source: NWF