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Endangered Species
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Brown pelican
THE brown pelican (鹈鹕) is a marine bird that inhabits temperate and tropical coastal regions of North, Central and South America. The species is divided into a number of subspecies, depending upon the region where they are found.
In California during the 1960s, researchers began to notice a decline in the pelican population. A 1971-1975 survey revealed a declining population in the only remaining nesting colony of brown pelicans, located on Anacapa Island, California. The failure was due to the collapse of thin-shelled eggs during incubation. Thin-shelled eggs were attributed to the effects of agricultural pesticides, such as DDT. These long-lasting pesticides accumulated first in invertebrates and fishes, then in their predators.
The brown pelican is listed as endangered by the Endangered Species Act.
As of 1971, the use of DDT for garden and household use was banned in California.
(Part IV)
(SD-Agenices)
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