Every year, most government agencies put out reports of their previous year’s work. Most of these consist of budget numbers, expenditures, purchases and the like. But in the case of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Conservation Section, the annual report covers the fuzzy, the feathered and the flora in their ledgers.
The report began by noting some depressing news from 2021, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declared 23 species extinct across the U.S., including four that formerly called Georgia home. None of these are particularly surprising, it’s been expected for some time but for the ivory-billed woodpecker, Bachman’s warbler, southern acornshell mussel and upland combshell mussel, seeing it in print was a final nail in the long-shot hopes for the species. The announcement was a painful reminder for the work the Wildlife Conservation Section does, including several species that are at risk now, such as the North Atlantic right whale or gopher tortoise.
“The Wildlife Conservation Section of Georgia DNR works with other public agencies, nongovernmental organizations and private landowners to address those impacts on native species and natural communities, focusing on the elements of our natural heritage that are rare or declining,” said Jon Ambrose, chief of the section. “In every case, successful conservation depends on dynamic and effective partnerships. Everyone can play a role in helping prevent the decline and loss of species and their habitats, and in helping maintain this natural legacy for future generations.”
The report goes through all the animals high on the watch list for the department, starting with birds. Waterbirds are the most at risk due to development and disturbance and the DNR has a Waterbird Conservation Initiative that specifically focuses on them, including pelicans, plovers and terns. The pandemic canceled banding efforts for a second straight year – where a small tag of sorts is placed on the leg of a bird for tracking. Additionally, the Golden Ray ship periodically leaked oil which impacted flightless chicks. A flightless chick covered in oil does not survive very long but DNR was able to capture some and rescue them.
The likely two most well-known species at risk in Georgia are loggerhead sea turtles and the aforementioned North Atlantic right whale. For the loggerhead, consistent protection efforts over the past couple decades seem to be paying dividends. Since 1989 when comprehensive surveys were begun, nesting sites have increased by an average of 3.9 percent per year, making slow but steady progress towards recovery. The recovery goal from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is to have 2,800 nests per year, but 2021 saw only 2,500 nests compared to 2,800 in 2020 and 3,900 in 2019. The 2,500 last year are still a marked improvement over the 700 observed in 1989.
For the right whales, the news is much more mixed. After nearly being hunted to extinction, it looked like they were having a a strong rebound from low numbers and increasing population by more than 40 percent in the 2000s. This has now turned into concern about warming oceans and the availability of the right whales preferred plankton diet, this may be leading to lower calving numbers. At least 133 whales died from 2010 to 2017, the majority from ship strikes or entanglement in commercial fishing gear. Fewer than 100 birthing females remain.
To read the full report from DNR:
