2012 was a very significant year in wildlife conservation. Our nation’s symbol, the Bald Eagle, was removed from the Oregon state threatened species list.
Its recovery has been called “remarkable” and “amazing”. In 1963, only 487 nesting pairs of Bald Eagles remained in the nation. The pesticide DDT, habitat loss, and illegal shooting had taken a toll on the species.
The federal government banned the use of DDT in 1972 and listed the Bald Eagle under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1978. Recovery took decades and involved agencies, organizations, politicians, landowners, and the American public.
In 2007, there were 9,789 known nesting pairs in the contiguous U.S., and the Bald Eagle was removed from the federal ESA. In Oregon, just 65 breeding pairs were documented in 1978. By 2010, that number climbed to 570.
In March 2012, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission formally removed the Bald Eagle from protection of the Oregon Endangered Species Act. Bald and Golden Eagles continue to be protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.