Red-Tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
A common and well-loved bird, the red-tailed hawk is frequent percher in the New England forests. Unfortunately, it’s population has been unsteady for decades. One population crash, in 1906, was caused by widespread shooting and trapping. It caused a significant decline in the Massachusetts population. Once protection was granted to birds of prey, through the Migratory Bird Act, their population began to rise again. In 1949, the Red-tails were hit by the trifecta of hunting, habitat loss, and pesticides in the food chain. Because of the bird’s ability to adapt to the many different habitats, the trifecta only caused a decline in certain populations. The red-tails’s adaptability allows these birds to nest in developed areas, as well as deserted ones. Due to the endurance of these birds, their populations are stable in Massachusetts today.
http://www.massaudubon.org/our-conservation-work/wildlife-research-conservation/statewide-bird-monitoring/breeding-bird-atlases/bba1/find-a-bird/(id)/18 (information)
http://ih1.redbubble.net/image.5983239.7506/flat,550x550,075,f.jpg (image)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Red-tailed_Hawk_Buteo_jamaicensis_Full_Body_1880px.jpg (image)
http://www.massaudubon.org/our-conservation-work/wildlife-research-conservation/statewide-bird-monitoring/breeding-bird-atlases/bba1/find-a-bird/(id)/18 (information)
http://ih1.redbubble.net/image.5983239.7506/flat,550x550,075,f.jpg (image)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Red-tailed_Hawk_Buteo_jamaicensis_Full_Body_1880px.jpg (image)
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Since the beginning of the century, prior to 1989, the bald eagle has been an infrequent visitor to Massachusetts. Historically, the bald eagle was a rather abundant species across North America. This all changed in the 1950's and 1960's, when the use of DDT caused startlingly declines in this bird of prey's populations. The pesticide effected the bald eagle by making it unable to produce the calcium needed to coat their eggs. This caused the eggs to have soft shells or no shells at all. As a result, the eggs were crushed by the nesting parent. In 1972, the use of DDT was banned and this has allowed the Bald Eagle to rise from the "Endangered" to "Threatened" status. In 1982, the Bald Eagle was reintroduced as a breeding bird in Massachusetts through a partnership between the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife and Mass Audubon. Though a difficult endeavor, mating eagles have been seen in reserves in Massachusetts, New York, and Connecticut. This has contributed to the recovery of the birds in the Northeast.
http://www.massaudubon.org/learn/nature-wildlife/birds/bald-eagles/eagles-in-massachusetts (information)
http://talismancoins.com/content/catalog/Bald_Eagle_Profile_Portrait_2.jpg
http://www.infiniteunknown.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/bald-eagle.jpg
http://www.massaudubon.org/learn/nature-wildlife/birds/bald-eagles/eagles-in-massachusetts (information)
http://talismancoins.com/content/catalog/Bald_Eagle_Profile_Portrait_2.jpg
http://www.infiniteunknown.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/bald-eagle.jpg
At 50-70 pounds, the Eastern Wolf is slightly smaller than the Gray Wolf, found farther West. The Eastern Wolf, native to the New England area, was once very common in the region. Its population is estimated to have been between 60,000 and 90,000 wolves before European settlers came to North America. Because of the threat that wolves pose to livestock, they have since been hunted extensively by humans. A bounty system provided hunters financial incentive to hunt and kill as many wolves as possible, driving their population in New England dangerously low. In Massachusetts, there are no longer any breeding packs of Eastern Wolves, but they sometimes pass through. In recent years, Eastern Wolves have gained a protected status in Ontario, and hunting has decreased, allowing populations to rise slightly, but they are still nowhere near the levels they were at before.
http://mainewolfcoalition.org/wolf-history/
http://www.fws.gov/midwest/wolf/aboutwolves/pdf/ThielWydevenEasternWolfStatusReview8August12.pdf
http://cpaws-ov-vo.org/upload/eastern-wolf.jpg
http://mainewolfcoalition.org/wolf-history/
http://www.fws.gov/midwest/wolf/aboutwolves/pdf/ThielWydevenEasternWolfStatusReview8August12.pdf
http://cpaws-ov-vo.org/upload/eastern-wolf.jpg
Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua)
It was once said that cod was so abundant that one could almost walk across the ocean on their backs. Unfortunately this is no longer true due to may years of unregulated fishing that lead to an overfishing of the Atlantic cod population. This lack of regulation lead to the U.S stock of Atlantic cod to the brink of a commercial collapse in the mid-1990's. Since then there has been a conscience effort to bring the cod back. An effort that continues to this day.
Currently NOAA Fisheries and the New England Fisheries Management Council are in charge of bring the Atlantic cod population back. In order to see the cod population increase and maintain a health level they have put regulation on the fishing of Atlantic cod. Some of the regulations are:
Currently NOAA Fisheries and the New England Fisheries Management Council are in charge of bring the Atlantic cod population back. In order to see the cod population increase and maintain a health level they have put regulation on the fishing of Atlantic cod. Some of the regulations are:
- Permitting requirements.
- Time/area closures to control fishing effort and protect spawning fish and habitat.
- A number of measures to reduce the fisheries’ impact on habitat and other species (see above).
- Minimum size limits to ensure that fish are able to spawn at least once before being caught.
- A limit on the amount of all groundfish that can be caught, as well as measures to respond if the catch limits are exceeded.
Cod are usually harvested through the use of otter trawls or gillnets. While gillnets have little to no impact on a habitat, as well as very little harm to other marine animals. Otter trawlers can have a hug impact habitats; however, measures have been taken to reduce there impact.
The Atlantic cod population may never reach the levels they once where, but the fishing industry and NOAA are trying to bring them back to a manageable, health and sustainable level.
http://www.fishwatch.gov/seafood_profiles/species/cod/species_pages/atlantic_cod.htm
http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/files/2012/02/Atlantic-Cod-Joachim-Muller-7.jpg
http://www.penobscotmarinemuseum.org/pbho-1/sites/default/files/collection/Otter%20Trawl%20Net.jpg
Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)
Wild Turkeys are common across all 48 continental states of the US, They were especially common in Massachusetts around the time of colonial settlement except in Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Their numbers declined in Massachusetts when more people started clearing their forest habitat mainly for agricultural reasons. By 1851, they were all but extinct in Massachusetts. There were attempts made to restore the population in the 1960s, and turkey habitats were set up all around the state. The exact number number of wild turkeys in Massachusetts is currently unknown, but it’s somewhere around 18,000 to 20,000. They still face threats such as being hunted, but it is not permitted in certain areas. They are not migratory, so they remain for the winter. The population seems stable right now, but people should still be aware of them.
http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/fish-wildlife-plants/wild-turkey-faq.html
- Restrictions on the size of fishing gear in certain areas to reduce habitat impacts.
- Areas closed to fishing year-round or seasonally to protect habitat and spawning cod.
- Requirement that the mesh on trawl nets be large enough to allow small fish to escape. The minimum size allowed for the mesh of trawl nets is currently the largest in the history of the Northeast groundfish fishery. The larger-mesh nets catch fewer small fish, and this directly reduces bycatch.
- A cap on the amount of groundfish bycatch that fishing vessels can take.
- Use of trawl gear that is more selective for the target fish that can be landed must be used in certain areas.
The Atlantic cod population may never reach the levels they once where, but the fishing industry and NOAA are trying to bring them back to a manageable, health and sustainable level.
http://www.fishwatch.gov/seafood_profiles/species/cod/species_pages/atlantic_cod.htm
http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/files/2012/02/Atlantic-Cod-Joachim-Muller-7.jpg
http://www.penobscotmarinemuseum.org/pbho-1/sites/default/files/collection/Otter%20Trawl%20Net.jpg
Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)
Wild Turkeys are common across all 48 continental states of the US, They were especially common in Massachusetts around the time of colonial settlement except in Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Their numbers declined in Massachusetts when more people started clearing their forest habitat mainly for agricultural reasons. By 1851, they were all but extinct in Massachusetts. There were attempts made to restore the population in the 1960s, and turkey habitats were set up all around the state. The exact number number of wild turkeys in Massachusetts is currently unknown, but it’s somewhere around 18,000 to 20,000. They still face threats such as being hunted, but it is not permitted in certain areas. They are not migratory, so they remain for the winter. The population seems stable right now, but people should still be aware of them.
http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/fish-wildlife-plants/wild-turkey-faq.html