ENDANGERED GOOSE: BACK FROM THE BRINK
ENDANGERED GOOSE: BACK FROM THE BRINK
(PRWEB) July 16, 2000
MEMPHIS, July 12Â?The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to make a final decision on the delisting of the Aleutian Canada goose—-currently listed as Â?threatenedÂ? under the Endangered Species Act—- on August 1.
Aleutian Canada goose: One Of The First Listed Species
The Aleutian Canada goose was one of the first animal species identified as endangered and in need of protection. One of the smallest subspecies of Canada goose, it was first listed under the Endangered Species Protection Act of 1966, the predecessor to the current Endangered Species Act (ESA). Once the ESA was passed in 1973, this subspecies of geese was immediately placed on the ESAÂ?s endangered list. For more information about the ESA and a complete list of endangered and threatened animals, log on to http://www.endangered.fws.gov.
Exceeds Population Goal Proposed by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
The Aleutian Canada goose was at critical numbers in 1966, when it was first listed: only 800 estimated birds were thought to be left in the world. Biologists ascribe the population decline to widespread degradation on key migration and wintering habitats and the introduction of predators on island nesting sites. By 1991, the estimated worldwide population reached 6,300, prompting a revision of the listing to Â?threatened.Â? Since 1991, the population has increased to an estimated 30,000 today, over four times the population goal proposed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the federal agency in charge of listing and delisting species.
The USFWSÂ?s assistant regional director of fisheries and ecological services, LaVerne Smith said, Â?The comeback of the Aleutian Canada goose is an incredible success story, considering the vast area that the goose uses throughout the year and the remoteness of its breeding grounds. Our international partnerships with organizations like Ducks Unlimited have been a key to the success that the Aleutian Canada goose program has had.Â?
CaliforniaÂ?s Central Valley: A Critical Wintering Area
The majority of the Aleutian Canada goose population winters in the Central Valley area of California. Sixty percent of the Pacific FlywayÂ?s migratory waterfowl winter in or migrate through the Central Valley. Says DUÂ?s Dr. Alan Wentz, Group Manager of Conservation Programs: Â?The Central Valley, critical to the life cycles of many waterfowl species, is in itself endangered. Wetland loss in the valley has been dramaticÂ?with only about five percent of the original wetlands remaining today. In the past ten years, Ducks Unlimited has maximized resources in this area through a variety of initiatives aimed at reversing wetland loss as efficiently as possible.Â?
Landowners Help Protect Wetlands In Perpetuity
DUÂ?s Valley Bay CAREÂ?Conservation of Agriculture, Resources and EnvironmentÂ?brings conservation and private landowners together in CaliforniaÂ?s Central Valley. Efforts are also made to expand traditional restoration projects on public lands. Says DUÂ?s Fritz Reid, Director of Conservation Planning for DUÂ?s Western Regional Office: Â?DU’s Valley Bay CARE initiative played an important role on the principal goose wintering site. Partnering with the San Joaquin River National Widlife Refuge of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Gallo family, we were able to restore Miller and Page Lakes, where up to 100% of the Aleutian population spends part of the winter. Protecting key wintering habitat is crucial in the long-term recovery strategy.” To learn more about Valley Bay CARE, log on to the conservation section of DUÂ?s homepage at http://www.ducks.org.
For more information about the Aleutian Canada Goose or to learn about DUÂ?s world-wide conservation efforts, please call Tildy La Farge at 901-758-3859 or via email at mlafarge@ducks.org.
©Copyright 1997-
, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
©Copyright 1997-
