The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is looking for public input on its plans to help save a bird from extinction in the Great Lakes region. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham reports:
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The U-S Fish and Wildlife Service is looking for public input on its plans to help save a bird from disappearing in the Great Lakes region. The The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham reports:
There are only 45 nesting pairs of piping plovers, a long-legged shore bird that used to nest on shores all along the Great Lakes. 45 pairs… is the highest number since the government started counting the birds back in the 1970’s. Mike DeCapita is with the U-S Fish and Wildlife Service. He says the piping plovers are skittish… and human activity keeps them from their nests on the beach. To save the bird from extinction, the plan requires that people make some changes:
“It’s just that people need to modify their behavior slightly for a brief period during the spring and early summer to avoid disturbing the birds.”
DeCapita says that means things such as not letting dogs run loose on the beach where piping plovers nest… not leaving garbage to draw predators that would eat the birds… and when walking on the beach, avoid shooshing the birds from their nests. For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, this is Lester Graham.
Optional Host Tag: “The U-S Fish & Wildlife’s will be taking public comments on its draft recovery plan until September 4.”