By Amber Prinkey
One might ask, do eagles still need saving? You may know about their difficult past, but how are they doing now? Let’s have a look.
In 1782 there were approximately 75,000 bald eagles in the U.S. when they were named our national symbol.
By the 1950s they dropped down to an estimated 412 breeding pairs due to the pesticide DDT. DDT went into the waterways, fish and other prey absorbed it, the buildup of pesticides in the eagle’s systems caused the eggs they laid to be thin and cracked when they sat on them.
In 1972 DDT was banned in the U.S. when the Environmental Protection Agency was formed although it is still in use in South America, Africa, and Asia. Additionally, the bald eagle became protected by the Endangered Species Act in 1973.
By 1995 with regulation enforcement, habitat restoration, and breeding programs, the numbers rose to nearly 4,500 bald eagles.
In 2007 they were removed from the Endangered Species list
Current estimates put their numbers at about 316,700, which means their population is INCREASING! Over the past 40 years, the population has steadily increased. Part of the reason we know this is from data submitted during the Christmas Bird Count, a reason to feel good about participating if you did so this year!
While we did fix the problem with pesticides, humans continue to be the reason for most bald eagle fatalities. Trauma caused by impact with manmade structures, gunshots, and poisoning (from eating other animals affected by lead gunshots) are the leading causes of death.
Interested in helping our nation’s symbol? Become an Eagle Watcher with the Audubon Society! Details here: https://cbop.audubon.org/get-involved/be-eaglewatcher
