Thanks Again, Conservation: Bald Eagles Bounce Back

The United States national emblem, the bald eagle, has made a significant comeback in the country thanks to extensive conservation efforts that protect the once-endangered species.

The bald eagle was declared endangered in 1967, with the United States government launching initiatives to protect the special bird soon thereafter. Captive breeding programs, the reintroduction of eagles into historic habitats, and the protection of eagle nests all helped contribute to the regrowth of the bald eagle population within the country.

In the 18th century, an estimated 500,000 bald eagles lived in North America. By the 1950s, only 412 nesting pairs remained in the contiguous United States. The bird was not listed as endangered until the Endangered Species Preservation Act declared it in 1967. Thanks to successful conservation campaigns, the eagle was downgraded to “threatened” in 1995. In 2007, they were taken off the list altogether, and the latest count estimates there are now a total of 316,700 individuals in the lower 48 states.