Author: kchang

The bald eagle and osprey have been removed from the state’s list of endangered species.

This has been a culmination of more than 40 years of work to restore these iconic birds to New Jersey’s landscape, Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette said.

The Murphy administration adopted regulatory changes on Jan. 6. The de-listing of eagles and ospreys is contained within a Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) rule through publication in the New Jersey Register. The adopted rule makes more than 100 additions, deletions and conservation status updates.

The status of the bald eagle has changed from endangered to special concern, and the osprey from threatened to stable. These status upgrades are based on determinations by New Jersey DEP Fish and Wildlife that the populations of these birds have recovered to the point where their survival in the state is no longer in jeopardy, according to a DEP press release.

“This action is indeed a significant milestone in the history of endangered species conservation and recovery in New Jersey, and is the result of the passion and commitment of many people over the past 40-plus years to restore wildlife that were on the brink of extirpation in New Jersey,” LaTourette said, referring to the state or condition of becoming locally or regionally extinct.

“Even with this tremendous success, we will remain vigilant in our monitoring and protection of these species to ensure they continue to thrive in New Jersey.”

The DEP has worked closely with the Princeton-based Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey for many years through the state’s Bald Eagle Project to protect bald eagles and their habitats, including coordinating a network of more than 150 observers who monitor identified nest sites for activity and reproduction. The volunteers also help educate the public about the need to protect nests from disturbances.

The foundation – which features live feed on its Duke Farms Eagle Cam in Hillsborough and a Barnegat Light Osprey Cam – called the status changes for the bald eagle and osprey “a conservation milestone in New Jersey.”

“We’re thrilled to celebrate the de-listing of bald eagles and ospreys from New Jersey’s Endangered Species List, a monumental achievement decades in the making,” the foundation posted on Facebook. “But the work isn’t over. While their status has changed, our commitment … continues.

“We are remaining vigilant to monitor nests, protect habitats, reduce disturbances and address ongoing threats like pollution and habitat loss.”

DEP Fish and Wildlife Assistant Commissioner Dave Golden said the key to success is “a commitment to science, planning, and strong lines of communication with the public and stakeholders.”

“These species would have been lost without years of work to understand the threats and enhance conditions to allow eagles and ospreys to thrive and recover,” noted Endangered and Nongame Species Program Chief Kathy Clark.

Protections in place

The state’s Endangered and Nongame Species Conservation Act (ENSCA) protects all wildlife included on the endangered species list and the New Jersey List of Regulated Nongame Species from activities that could result in harm. The protection applies to all native wildlife, whether a species is listed as endangered or nongame, according to the DEP.

Bald eagle nests and roosting areas also get special protection from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. The law protects eagle nests and roosting areas according to guidelines established by the USFWS, and a federal permit is required for some activities that have the potential to disturb nesting activities.

Similarly, native bird nests are protected by both ENSCA and the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, regardless of their conservation status in New Jersey. Bird nests may not be disturbed or destroyed during the nesting season.

In addition, NJDEP Fish and Wildlife is committed to monitoring populations of bald eagles across the state to quickly detect and respond to any threats, such as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). To date, the state has not seen a population-level effect from HPAI in eagles, but continued collection of data is necessary should further action be required.

The road to recovery

In the 1970s and into the early 1980s, New Jersey had just one remaining bald eagle nest, a pair in remote Cumberland County. The state’s population had been devastated by widespread use of DDT and other threats, including habitat degradation and human disturbances, according to the DEP. Once used widely to control mosquitoes, DDT is a synthetic insecticide that had lasting impacts on the food chain, accumulating in fish that eagles eat and causing the birds to lay thin-shelled eggs that cannot withstand incubation. The federal government banned DDT in 1972, a pivotal step in the ultimate comeback of the species.

State recovery efforts began in the early 1980s, with the reintroduction of eagles from Canada and artificial incubation and efforts that started to pay discernible dividends throughout the 1990s. Active nests surpassed 100 for the first time in decades by hitting 119 in 2012; 10 years later, the number more than doubled to 250.

The federal government removed the bald eagle from its list of endangered species in 2007, reflecting strong gains in the population throughout the nation. New Jersey’s current bald eagle protection status, however, remained state-endangered during the breeding season and state-threatened for the non-breeding season, reflecting caution about nest disturbance and habitat threats.

Today, bald eagles can be found in virtually every area of the state, with their highest numbers found along Delaware Bay, a waterway rich in protected marshlands and coastal creeks that provide ideal habitats. Last year, the state boasted a record 293 nesting pairs of bald eagles, of which 264 laid eggs, according to the DEP.

Ospreys – also known as fish hawks – are typically found along the coast, where they hunt fish from marshes, creeks and bays. Also affected greatly by DDT use, the number of osprey nests left in the state dwindled to about 50 by the early 1970s. During that time, state biologists began an innovative recovery effort to place young ospreys and eggs from nests where DDT was not used as heavily into nests that failed to produce young.

In addition, they coordinated efforts to supply nest platforms for the birds, substitutes for snags and trees lost as the coastline became more developed in the 1950s. In 2023, biologists for NJDEP Fish and Wildlife and the Conserve Wildlife Foundation documented a record 800 occupied osprey nests.