Gov't: Brown pelicans are endangered no longer

LACOMBE, La. -- Louisiana's state bird is no longer endangered.

Wednesday afternoon, federal leaders announced in Lacombe, the brown pelican is off the endangered species list.

"It's been a long, steady climb back," said Tom Strickland, the chief of staff for the U.S. Department of the Interior, and who also serves as the assistant secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, "and today, we are very, very happy to declare the brown pelican healthy and recovered."

The federal government declared brown pelicans endangered back in 1970. This comeback, federal leaders said, is actually the pelican's second. At the turn of the 19th Century, hunters nearly killed off the brown pelican for it's feathers. President Teddy Roosevelt helped them recover.

The new challenge came after World War II, with the rampant use of the pesticide DDT. It was used extensively in the 1950's to fight mosquitos and fire ants, before it was discovered that DDT was responsible for crippling the brown pelican population.

DDT was banned in 1972, and federal leaders estimate, there are now 620,000 brown pelicans in America.

"It shows that the Endangered Species Act, America's strongest environmental law actually works," said Sam Hamilton, the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, "and that's exciting to see, that we can bring a species to this point."

Brown pelicans live along the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf Coasts, but are the official state bird only in Louisiana.

"A species that is so much engrained in the fabric of America and the coastlines," Hamilton added, "people know pelicans, they know what this means, not only to the State of Louisiana, but across the United States."

"We celebrate the saving of the pelican," said U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu, "but we still have a challenge before us, because now we need to save the environment the pelican lives in."