136: rare birds, no longer so rare!

I've featured several 'conservation' stories on Reasons to be Hopeful of late. Most offer promise of future regeneration. But it's great when you find a story actually documenting the revival of a species. And today's linked article, from The News and Observer (a local paper from North Carolina, USA), presents some very convincing evidence of the revival of the brown pelican. In the 1970s, the brown pelican came perilously close to extinction - the principal culprit was thought to be DDT, which weakened the brids' shells so they were unable to reproduce. Once DDT was banned in 1972, the bird population slowly rebuilt itself, and there are thought to be around 620,000 brown pelicans in the US today. As a result, its 'endangered' listing will now be lifted across the country. More proof of nature's resilience (and a sobering tale too, as DDT is being reintroduced - one hopes with caution - for the suppression of mosquito populations in some countries). It also shows that sound government policy can pay back, at least over time. Hope for politicians and bureaucrats everywhere!