Bald Eagle Endangered

Bald Eagle endangered status persisted throughout the 20th century, but for many centuries this species was common in North America and had no natural enemies. The relations between Bald Eagles and humans became tense when the first settlers started to move westwards and destroyed the habitat of these birds. Bald Eagles cannot live close to humans; they need private and isolated places to breed and nest. Humans took the best territories of their habitats and these birds had to move to remote mountainous areas. Hunters, fishermen and farmers considered all raptors to be very dangerous and tried to kill as many eagles as possible. Actually, Bald Eagles competed with humans for fish and small game, but humans had the advantage and Bald Eagles were deprived of their common prey.

Population decline of the Bald Eagle became evident in the 1930s. People understood the importance of the species and started a conservation program. The Bald Eagle endangered Act was passed in 1940. Instead of encouraging killing Bald Eagles, government started to protect them. Reducing the harassment by humans was enough for the population to recover.

In the middle of the 20th century, DDT, pesticides, lead and other chemicals used by people made Bald Eagle endangered. These chemicals were consumed with the prey. Many Bald Eagles were poisoned after eating poisoned carrion set out for coyotes and wolves or game wounded with lead pellets. Being at the top of the food chain, Bald Eagles, like other birds of prey, accumulated lethal concentration of DDT, lead and other chemicals in their blood, bones, and muscles. Adult birds suffered from numerous diseases caused by dangerous chemicals and their derivatives. The eggs they laid had too thin shell to be hatched.

In the 60’s and 70’s, Bald Eagles became endangered in most US states. Other threats to the Bald Eagle population were poaching for their feathers and talons, and destruction of suitable habitats. DDT and other pesticides were banned in the early 1970s, but their effect persisted for several decades. The Bald Eagle became one of the few species that revived after being listed as endangered. In 1995, Bald Eagle endangered status was changed to threatened and then to common.