Over the years, species have thrived or dwindled. As industrialization brought population growth, wildlife habitats were greatly affected. Now, we are seeing a resurgence.
In Cook County, Illinois, wildlife biologists have created towering nesting platforms on telephone poles throughout the Chicago area to bring the osprey bird population back from their status as a threatened species, as reported by Phys.org. Wild ospreys, or sea hawks, have been noted to construct nests on human-built platforms that stand between 50 and 80 feet above ground.
Because of the efforts by the Forest Preserves of Cook County program, up to 30 osprey chicks are banded a year.
"What we've done is we've greatly increased the speed at which ospreys have populated Cook County," said Forest Preserves wildlife biologist Chris Anchor, who initiated the program for osprey nesting after seeing similar platforms in Wisconsin.
Industrialization has undeniably brought about significant advancements and conveniences to our modern lives, but it has also introduced a substantial amount of air pollution. For example, the construction industry alone is responsible for nearly 40% of global air pollution. Contributing to a warming planet, temperature rises have affected the behaviors of wildlife in one way or another.
Ospreys are large and slender birds, having a wingspan of about 5 feet. Prone to a fish-rich diet, they are often found near any body of water with stick nests made in the open, including over poles.
The high-flying animals' numbers dwindled because of the effects of pollution from the insecticide DDT until 1972 when they increased in number in Illinois.
A factor in the success of the osprey program is putting nests where the birds already flock instead of where others want them to be.
"The fact that we have an apex predator now living among us, in the third-largest metropolitan area in North America — that's significant," said Anchor.
Program officials shared that information is entered into the database of 7 million birds at the U.S. Geological Survey Bird Banding Laboratory when the birds are banded, and researchers track the birds' behaviors and population trends over time.
Knowledge of wildlife conservation efforts can lead to dramatic success that benefits both animals and humans. A great example is the Banff Wildlife Crossings Project in Canada's Rocky Mountains, which significantly reduced wildlife-vehicle collisions on the Trans-Canada Highway.
When wildlife thrives, so does a diverse ecosystem.
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