Rare conservation success: American oystercatcher recovery off New England coast
A decade-long, $10 million conservation effort involving 35 organizations across 16 states has led to a 45% increase in American oystercatcher populations along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. The birds, which were largely wiped out in New England by 1900 due to hunting and egg collecting, are now recovering through measures including fencing off nesting sites, trapping predators like skunks and raccoons, and educating beachgoers. Biologists recently banded chicks at Rhode Island's Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge as part of the nationwide restoration. The effort, led by Manomet Conservation Sciences and the American Oystercatcher Working Group, focused on improving chick survival rates. The recovery is notable given that most North American shorebird populations are declining, and demonstrates the effectiveness of targeted conservation before species become endangered.
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Rare conservation success: American oystercatcher recovery off New England coast
A decade-long, $10 million conservation effort involving 35 organizations across 16 states has led to a 45% increase in American oystercatcher populations along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. The birds, which were largely wiped out in New England by 1900 due to hunting and egg collecting, are now recovering through measures including fencing off nesting sites, trapping predators like skunks and raccoons, and educating beachgoers. Biologists recently banded chicks at Rhode Island's Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge as part of the nationwide restoration. The effort, led by Manomet Conservation Sciences and the American Oystercatcher Working Group, focused on improving chick survival rates. The recovery is notable given that most North American shorebird populations are declining, and demonstrates the effectiveness of targeted conservation before species become endangered.