Arizona’s Sonoran bald eagle population reached a record high this year, with dozens of new young, according to the Arizona Game and Fish Department.
This breeding season, the eagles laid at least 119 eggs, resulting in 96 young. Of these, 77 successfully fledged and made their first flight.
There were 104 documented nesting sites statewide, including seven new sites this year, the Arizona Game and Fish Department added.
“Arizona’s bald eagle population remains strong,” said Kenneth “Tuk” Jacobson, bald eagle management coordinator for AZGFD. “The fact that we continue to see an increase in nesting areas and fledglings is a testament to the resilience of these beautiful animals and the effectiveness of ongoing efforts to help conserve and protect bald eagles.”
In 2010, after a two-year review, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined that Arizona’s Sonoran bald eagles did not require continued protection under the Endangered Species Act. The following year the species was officially removed from the endangered species list.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department supported recognizing the population as a separate segment for biological reasons. They believed that the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, along with their comprehensive bald eagle management program, would ensure the continued success of the eagles in the Sonoran Desert.
The department plans to continue its conservation strategies that have contributed to Arizona’s current record population of bald eagles.
Follow Arizona Game and Fish’s social media to catch a glimpse of the bald eagle population!
This article originally appeared in the Arizona Republic: Record year for Sonoran bald eagles as 77 young take first flight
