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PHOENIX - With the bald eagle breeding season drawing to an end for 2009, the Arizona Game and Fish Department and its partners are lifting most of the closures at lakes and rivers statewide. The closures at Woods Canyon Lake and Crescent Lake will remain in effect until August 31 because bald eagle breeding activities are still continuing in those areas.
Most closures, including popular recreation spots like Lake Pleasant, Roosevelt Lake, and the lower Verde River, were lifted in June after the nestlings successfully fledged from the nest.
Each year, land and wildlife management agencies close bald eagle breeding areas for part of the year, beginning in December, to protect the state's bald eagles. Outdoor recreationists are asked to help protect these important breeding areas by honoring the closures.
"Bald eagles are particularly sensitive to human disturbance during the breeding season," says Kenneth Jacobson, head of the Arizona Game and Fish Department Bald Eagle Management Program. "Thanks to the public's cooperation with our management efforts, the species is doing well in Arizona."
Human activity near active bald eagle nests can cause a breeding pair to leave its eggs uncovered, leading to a failed breeding attempt. Human presence can also cause a young bird to prematurely leave the nest.
The bald eagle was federally listed as an endangered species in 1978. Nationally, the birds recovered enough to be removed from the list last year, but they remain listed as an endangered species in Arizona pending a final ruling from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service expected in October.
Management of the bald eagle falls under the Arizona Game and Fish Department's program to recover species that are declining or that have been extirpated from the state.
Through its partnerships with other public agencies, non-profit organizations and the science community, the department's wildlife recovery program aims to prevent species from becoming endangered and conserve them in a more cost-effective manner. State-level involvement provides closer oversight of wildlife species on a day-to-day basis. Specific emphasis is placed on identifying and managing the wildlife and habitat of greatest conservation need, or those species that are no longer abundant and facing increasing threats from habitat degradation, disease, introduction of non-native species and climate change.
Adaptive management of these species helps ensure their continued presence in Arizona and protects the delicate balance of the ecosystem for future generations.
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The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability in its programs and activities. If anyone believes that they have been discriminated against in any of the AGFD's programs or activities, including employment practices, they may file a complaint with the Deputy Director, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086-5000, (602) 942-3000, or with the Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Dr. Ste. 130, Arlington, VA 22203. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation or this document in an alternative format by contacting the Deputy Director as listed above.
Most closures, including popular recreation spots like Lake Pleasant, Roosevelt Lake, and the lower Verde River, were lifted in June after the nestlings successfully fledged from the nest.
Each year, land and wildlife management agencies close bald eagle breeding areas for part of the year, beginning in December, to protect the state's bald eagles. Outdoor recreationists are asked to help protect these important breeding areas by honoring the closures.
"Bald eagles are particularly sensitive to human disturbance during the breeding season," says Kenneth Jacobson, head of the Arizona Game and Fish Department Bald Eagle Management Program. "Thanks to the public's cooperation with our management efforts, the species is doing well in Arizona."
Human activity near active bald eagle nests can cause a breeding pair to leave its eggs uncovered, leading to a failed breeding attempt. Human presence can also cause a young bird to prematurely leave the nest.
The bald eagle was federally listed as an endangered species in 1978. Nationally, the birds recovered enough to be removed from the list last year, but they remain listed as an endangered species in Arizona pending a final ruling from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service expected in October.
Management of the bald eagle falls under the Arizona Game and Fish Department's program to recover species that are declining or that have been extirpated from the state.
Through its partnerships with other public agencies, non-profit organizations and the science community, the department's wildlife recovery program aims to prevent species from becoming endangered and conserve them in a more cost-effective manner. State-level involvement provides closer oversight of wildlife species on a day-to-day basis. Specific emphasis is placed on identifying and managing the wildlife and habitat of greatest conservation need, or those species that are no longer abundant and facing increasing threats from habitat degradation, disease, introduction of non-native species and climate change.
Adaptive management of these species helps ensure their continued presence in Arizona and protects the delicate balance of the ecosystem for future generations.
-30-
The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability in its programs and activities. If anyone believes that they have been discriminated against in any of the AGFD's programs or activities, including employment practices, they may file a complaint with the Deputy Director, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086-5000, (602) 942-3000, or with the Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Dr. Ste. 130, Arlington, VA 22203. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation or this document in an alternative format by contacting the Deputy Director as listed above.
Contact:
Lynda Lambert (623) 236-7203
Lynda Lambert (623) 236-7203
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