Endangered Organisms: Peregrine Falcon
Population: 1,650 Breeding Pairs
Peregrine Flacons are native birds in Acadia National Park , but were found to no longer be breeding in the 1960's.(4) Factors that attributed to the decline of the species were: trapping, nest robbing, hunting, chemical pesticides and industrial pollutants. The peregrine falcon holds a high position on the food web which means the concentration of toxin caused by the pesticides and pollutants is amplified. This amplification causes reproductive failure and a host of other problems that played a significant role in the decline of the species.
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What is/was being done
The federal government passed the Endangered Species Act in 1973 (13) that requires the conservation of endangered species. In order to save the falcon from the clutches of extinction, Acadia National Park began to capture chicks in their premature phases and release them into their natural habitat once they are matured. A few select birds were kept in captivity to ensure extinction would not occur. These birds were later bred in order to facilitate population growth. This course of action allowed the population size of the hawks to increase and subsequently saved the species from extinction. |