One of the rarest birds in North America is back at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge! These "snowbirds" have traveled to Texas to spend the winter and escape the cold. Once on the brink of extinction, this success story is a symbol of American conservation work and policies. It's understandable that these majestic birds would be one of the first species to gain federal protection in 1967 under the Endangered Species Preservation Act, a precursor to today's Endangered Species Act. Never an abundant species, the total population had dwindled, due to hunting pressures and habitat loss, to a low of 16 birds in 1941. With the hard work of Interior agencies like @usfws and the U.S. Geological Survey, as well as Tribal nations, states, and private organizations, the population of βwhoopersβ as they are sometimes called, is now up over 800 birds. Endangered species recovery is complex and difficult work, often requiring substantial time and resources. Just as the decline of species occurs over the course of years and decades, it takes time and solid cooperation of partners to bring them back. Photo by Gabriel Luebben (sharetheexperience.org). Photo description: A large white and black colored bird raises its head to the sky and calls out.
