Vermont Removes Bald Eagle From Endangered And Threatened Species List

VERMONT (CBS/AP) -- Vermont reported some great news on Thursday: the state has removed the bald eagle from its Endangered and Threatened Species list.

"The bald eagle's successful restoration and delisting is the result of more than a decade of dedicated work," Vermont Fish & Wildlife said in a statement. "It shows that Vermonters have the ability to restore and conserve the species and habitats that we cherish."

Vermont launched an aggressive plan to protect the eagle a decade ago. In its most recent count, Vermont reported more than 60 young bald eagles in the state.

Habitat destruction and the use of the pesticide DDT beginning in the 1940s reduced the numbers of bald eagles — adopted as the national symbol in the 1700s — across North America. By the early 1960s, the birds were nearly wiped out.

DDT was banned in 1972 and six years later, the bald eagle was placed on the federal endangered species list. It was removed from the federal list in 2007.

Also delisted in Vermont on Thursday was the short-styled snakeroot, a flowering plant of dry woodland habitats. The American bumblebee; the brook floater, a species of freshwater mussel; and two plant species, Houghton's sedge and rue anemone, have been listed as endangered, which means they are considered at immediate risk of becoming locally extinct in the state, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department said.

The bird species the Eastern meadowlark was listed as threatened, meaning it's considered at risk of becoming endangered without timely conservation action, the department said.

(© Copyright 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)