A Quandary in Restoring Bald Eagle Populations

A Quandary in Restoring Bald Eagle Populations

Quarter 4

Article 5

NY Times

The area covered is national.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/04/science/04obeagle.html?ref=endangered_and_extinct_species

Summary: For three decades, scientists have been trying with only limited success to re-establish breeding populations of bald eagles on the Channel Islands off the Southern California coast. The eagles disappeared from the islands in the 1960s, victims, like many other birds, of DDT, which affected their ability to reproduce. However, restored eagle populations may have considerable impact on other animals on the islands. The eagles’ diet consisted mostly of seabirds. But when sheep ranching was established in the mid-19th century, the diet changed, largely to sheep carcasses. There are no more sheep on the island. If bald eagle populations were to recover, they would have to seek other prey. Prey sources might include sea lion carcasses or seabirds. Both are potentially problematic, the seabirds because their populations have also declined and are now recovering, and the sea lions because they would pass on accumulated contaminants and pollutants, including DDT, in their tissues.

My opinion: I think that it's important to reestablish bald eagle populations so that the bald eagle does not become extinct. However, environmentalists need to make sure that they do not endanger other native populations such as seabirds or allow the eagles to be poisoned by DDT.