San Clemente Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus mearnsi)

[guppiecat]

In honor of Independence Day, here is an all American bird.

The San Clemente Loggerhead Shrike lives on an island used by the US Navy for target practice. Due to the importation of goats (and, presumably, bombs), their population dropped down to 14 birds. Today, there are nearly 200. This is due to a combination of the Navy improving the use of their land, such as removing goats (but not, presumably, bombs) and captive breeding.

The graph below is particularly interesting because it shows the value of captive breeding and reintroduction programs. These programs, of course, take a while to take effect as animals must reach sexual maturity, but when they get there, wow.

(Facebook people should click here to see the graph: http://www.iws.org/species_loggerhead_shrike.html )

Originally posted at stories.starmind.org.