Rare Bird Found At Ano Nuevo State Park
Baby Murrelet Found By Girl
POSTED: 3:04 pm PDT June 30, 2009
UPDATED: 3:42 pm PDT June 30, 2009
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- A girl made a rare discovery when she stumbled upon a small bird at a California state park, wildlife officials said Tuesday.
The bird the girl discovered at Ano Nuevo State Park on Friday turned out to be a fledgling marbled murrelet, which is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
Studies have estimated that only 2,000 murrelets remain in California and Oregon. Their numbers have declined in the past decade because of the destruction of habitat, predation, gill nets and other factors, according to the Department of Fish and Game.
The last time a baby marbled murrelet was found at Ano Nuevo was in the mid-1990s.
The bird was taken to a DFG Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center in Santa Cruz, where it was found to be in good health. The murrelet was then released at Ano Nuevo Beach on Saturday.
Baby Murrelet Found By Girl
POSTED: 3:04 pm PDT June 30, 2009
UPDATED: 3:42 pm PDT June 30, 2009
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- A girl made a rare discovery when she stumbled upon a small bird at a California state park, wildlife officials said Tuesday.
The bird the girl discovered at Ano Nuevo State Park on Friday turned out to be a fledgling marbled murrelet, which is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
Studies have estimated that only 2,000 murrelets remain in California and Oregon. Their numbers have declined in the past decade because of the destruction of habitat, predation, gill nets and other factors, according to the Department of Fish and Game.
The last time a baby marbled murrelet was found at Ano Nuevo was in the mid-1990s.
The bird was taken to a DFG Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center in Santa Cruz, where it was found to be in good health. The murrelet was then released at Ano Nuevo Beach on Saturday.
