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from the have-we-gone-too-far? dept. In a recent article published by the Sun, author Abraham Hyatt, reported that there is a movement underfoot to de-list the Snowy Plover from the endangered species list. The Surf/Ocean Beach Commission, headed by Alice Milligan plans to petition the Department of the Interior to remove the Western Snowy Plover. According to the commission, a study was performed which indicated that "you couldn't (genetically) tell the difference between the inland and coastal birds."They say that the problem lies within the defination of what is a "species." In 1993 the government grouped the plover into a genetically distinct "sub-group" of the speicies, but Milligan and the commision do not feel that the research behind the classification was complete. In 2001, Leah Gorman, a graduate student at the University of Oregan published her master's degree thesis on her governemtn-funded findings that there is little genetic difference between the different populations of plovers up and down the West coast of the United States, thus allowing a more accurate count of these birds which would take them off the list. Nancy Francine is a wildlife biologist for Vandenberg AFB and feels that the beach closures that have been enacted to protect the plover have greatly benefited the plovers and wishes to keep the beaches closed. According to her studies, the birds experienced a 59% hatch rate last year which is almost 20% higher than the previous years. Personnel at Vandenberg AFB will continue to keep the beaches closed and will uphold the law until if and when the birds are removed from the endangered list. The Commission hopes to have their petition ready to submit to the Department of the Interior by the end of May. They are hopeful that the Western Snowy Plover will be removed from the list but admit they do not know what the outcome will be. The Snowy Plovers, along with the red bellied frog and the coastal salamander have been big debates in this area, but I think that because the plovers have closed our beaches, people are very interested in getting them back. I'm not sure if the plovers are endangered, that's for people more qualified than I to decide, but if they are I say to continue keeping the beaches closed. If they are not endangered, I do ask that our beaches be reopened for everyone to enjoy, not just the birds. It's great to look out for endangered animals and try to preserve them, but sometimes I feel we go too far. < Coyote Attacks on the Rise | 4 year old Illegal Immigrant Granted a Visa >
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