{"id":11453,"date":"2018-08-08T09:36:06","date_gmt":"2018-08-08T13:36:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/?p=11453"},"modified":"2018-08-08T09:36:06","modified_gmt":"2018-08-08T13:36:06","slug":"protecting-endangered-species","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/protecting-endangered-species\/","title":{"rendered":"Protecting Endangered Species"},"content":{"rendered":"

Recently, the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) has come under unprecedented threat. More than two dozen pieces of legislation and policy proposals designed to weaken the law\u00a0have surfaced. Mass Audubon has been advocating in support of upholding the ESA, which has been in place for 45 years.<\/p>\n

Here are just three species that rely on the Endangered Species Act for protection and what Mass Audubon is doing to ensure that they remain in Massachusetts for generations to come.<\/p>\n

Kemps Ridley<\/h3>\n
\"\"

Rescuing a Kemps Ridley \u00a9 Esther Horvath<\/p><\/div>\n

Federal Status: Endangered<\/strong><\/p>\n

Most sea turtles are\u00a0ectothermic<\/i>, meaning that their body temperature is regulated by the temperature of the water around them. As winter approaches, the water temperature of Cape Cod Bay slowly drops, and sea turtles should make their way south to warmer tropical waters.<\/p>\n

However, each year some juvenile turtles do not make the journey in time and become disoriented. By mid-November, the turtles are often too cold to eat, drink, or swim, and become \u201ccold-stunned.\u201d The turtles are often then pushed up onto the beach by strong winds, and left behind by the receding tide.<\/p>\n

The smallest and most endangered sea turtle in the world, the Kemps Ridley is also the most common turtle to strand on bayside beaches each winter. Several hundred have stranded each winter on Cape Cod in recent years.<\/p>\n

Since 1979, Wellfleet Bay<\/a>\u00a0staff and hundreds of volunteers have patrolled the beaches of Cape Cod, on the lookout for these cold-stunned turtles. Their efforts have resulted in the recovery of thousands of cold-stunned Kemps Ridleys over the past decade.<\/p>\n

Rusty Patched Bumble Bee<\/h3>\n
\"\"

Rusty Patched Bumble Bee via Jill Utrup\/USFWS<\/p><\/div>\n

Federal Status: Threatened<\/strong><\/p>\n

As recently as 30 years ago, this bumblebee was commonly found in a variety of habitats including prairies, woodlands, marshes, and residential parks and gardens. Their drastic decline started in the mid-1990s, and today they are very rare. This important pollinator is the first bee species to ever be added to the federal endangered species list.<\/p>\n

Mass Audubon is protecting and maintaining old field habitats and installing pollinator gardens<\/a> to support these bees and many other pollinators that live in the Commonwealth.\u00a0We\u2019ve also supported proposed state legislation<\/a> that would help improve pollinator health, along with pollinator-friendly land protection programs.<\/p>\n

Piping Plovers<\/h3>\n
\"Piping

Piping Plovers \u00a9 Sandy Selesky<\/p><\/div>\n

Federal Status: Threatened<\/strong><\/p>\n

The dynamic coastal habitats of Massachusetts are the perfect fit for determined sparrow-sized, sand-colored Piping Plovers. Likely widespread on our coasts historically, Piping Plovers suffered an extreme decline in the early 20th century.<\/p>\n

Thanks to the protection of the state and federal agencies, supportive beach communities, and initiatives like Mass Audubon\u2019s Coastal Waterbird Program (CWP)<\/a>, the population has increased five-fold in Massachusetts since the mid-1980s.<\/p>\n

CWP is dedicated to protecting coastal habitat for Piping Plovers and other shoreline-dependent birds. By erecting fencing to protect nesting areas, CWP ensures that Piping Plovers have the space to protect and raise their young. CWP also collects detailed data on nesting success and challenges in order to adapt beach management plans across the state.<\/p>\n

By providing shorebird education<\/a> and training opportunities to partners and students of conservation, CWP hopes to ensure the success of Piping Plovers and the enjoyment of our coastal habitats for generations to come.<\/p>\n

How You Can Help<\/h3>\n

Contact your federal legislators<\/a> <\/strong>and let them know you support the Endangered Species Act. Urge them to oppose any legislative attempts to weaken it that come before them for a vote.<\/p>\n

Urge the federal government to continue protecting \u201cthreatened\u201d species<\/strong>\u00a0in the same way they protect endangered species. Waiting until a species becomes endangered increases the risk of extinction, as well as the level of effort and cost required to achieve species recovery.\u00a0Submit comments\u00a0><\/a><\/p>\n

Urge decision-makers to continue basing rare species protections on scientific data, not on potential economic impacts<\/strong>. Changing how these decisions are made could give corporations more leeway to develop protected habitats, and may make it easier for roads, pipelines, etc., including projects on public lands,\u00a0to gain approvals despite impacts to endangered or threatened species.\u00a0Submit comments > <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Recently, the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) has come under unprecedented threat. More than two dozen pieces of legislation and policy proposals designed to weaken the law\u00a0have surfaced. Mass Audubon has been advocating in support of upholding the ESA, which has been in place for 45 years. Here are just three species that rely on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":11459,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[7,11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11453","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-get-involved","category-nature-notes"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/08\/514SandySelesky600.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3t87A-2YJ","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":15773,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/protecting-endangered-species-at-mass-audubon\/","url_meta":{"origin":11453,"position":0},"title":"Protecting Endangered Species at Mass Audubon","author":"William Freedberg","date":"May 21, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Mass Audubon protects dozens of endangered species with different strategies from habitat protection, science-based management plans, and advocacy. Here are just a few of the ways we\u2019re watching out for rare and declining wildlife. Helping Shorebirds Share the Beach Piping Plovers and Least Terns nest on the ground along Massachusetts\u2019\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/general\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/05\/4052Corey_Nimmer25947-750x501-772f638e-5480-442a-a94e-379302b22332.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/05\/4052Corey_Nimmer25947-750x501-772f638e-5480-442a-a94e-379302b22332.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/05\/4052Corey_Nimmer25947-750x501-772f638e-5480-442a-a94e-379302b22332.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/05\/4052Corey_Nimmer25947-750x501-772f638e-5480-442a-a94e-379302b22332.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2885,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/action-alert-mass-endangered-species-act\/","url_meta":{"origin":11453,"position":1},"title":"Action Alert: Mass Endangered Species Act","author":"Hillary T.","date":"October 31, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Efforts to repeal the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act (MESA) are once again underway, and we need your help! On Monday, November 4, the\u00a0Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture\u00a0will hold a hearing that includes two bills Mass Audubon strongly opposes. These bills would result in a repeal of endangered\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Advocacy"","block_context":{"text":"Advocacy","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/advocacy-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Eastern box turtle by Joy Marzolf","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2012\/06\/Eastern-box-turtle-looking-web.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3254,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/special-alert-victory-for-endangered-species\/","url_meta":{"origin":11453,"position":2},"title":"Special Alert – Victory for Endangered Species","author":"Hillary T.","date":"February 19, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"From our Advocacy Department: We are happy to report that yesterday, in response to a lawsuit filed against the Commonwealth's regulatory use of priority habitat screening to protect endangered species, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled unanimously to affirm the state's authority under the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act (MESA). The\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Advocacy"","block_context":{"text":"Advocacy","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/advocacy-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/02\/plover-USFWS-2.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1424,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/saving-stranded-sea-turtles\/","url_meta":{"origin":11453,"position":3},"title":"Saving Stranded Sea Turtles","author":"Hillary T.","date":"December 17, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Molly Shuman-Goodier of Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary reports on this year\u2019s sea turtle stranding season. Every year come fall, the lower air and water temperatures lead to the stranding of many \"cold-stunned\" sea turtles on Cape Cod. Strandings are not a new phenomenon: plenty of fish, turtles, and birds wash\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2012\/12\/turtlewellfleet.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2012\/12\/turtlewellfleet.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2012\/12\/turtlewellfleet.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2012\/12\/turtlewellfleet.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10612,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/a-hero-for-waterbirds\/","url_meta":{"origin":11453,"position":4},"title":"A Hero for Waterbirds","author":"Mass Audubon","date":"March 6, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Back in 1896, it was the passion and persistence of two Boston women who launched the modern-day conservation movement. When Harriet Hemenway and Minna Hall founded Mass Audubon to stop the killing of birds for fashion, they left a lasting impact on the environment and served as an inspiration for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/general\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/03\/Carolyn-Mostello-Cropped600.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/03\/Carolyn-Mostello-Cropped600.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/03\/Carolyn-Mostello-Cropped600.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":17382,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/advocating-for-nature-in-d-c\/","url_meta":{"origin":11453,"position":5},"title":"Advocating for Nature in D.C.","author":"Hillary T.","date":"December 15, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"During the week of December 5, Mass Audubon President David O\u2019Neill and team visited Washington, D.C. to meet with Federal leaders about policies and funding opportunities to advance Mass Audubon's nature and climate objectives. \u00a0 Vice President of Policy & Advocacy Michelle Manion, President David O'Neill, Chief of Staff to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Advocacy"","block_context":{"text":"Advocacy","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/advocacy-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/12\/PXL_20221207_180814268-750.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/12\/PXL_20221207_180814268-750.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/12\/PXL_20221207_180814268-750.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/12\/PXL_20221207_180814268-750.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11453","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11453"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11453\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11492,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11453\/revisions\/11492"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11459"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11453"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11453"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11453"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}