The American alligator was saved from the brink of extinction.
Since the inception of the Endangered Species Act in 1973, 47 species have been officially delisted. Seventeen were due to error, nine because of extinction and 21 in part to vigorous conservation efforts. Though noble, this in no way counters the 45 new species that have on average, been added each year. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the number of threatened species has jumped 66 percent in the last 20 years. Alabama currently has approximately 117 species on the endangered and threatened list.
American Alligator
Alabama led the way in restoring the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) by enacting protective measures and anti-hunting laws as early as 1938. After nearly 50 years of conservation-minded action, the American alligator was officially delisted in 1987. A full-grown alligator can reach up to 14 feet in length, and weigh close to 1,000 lbs. It is considered the largest reptile in North America, though it was once hunted to near extinction for its meat and skin.
Brown Pelican
The brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) is a water fowl capable of weighing up to 8 lbs., with a wingspan stretching 7 feet in length. Adults have long bills containing an extending pouch three times the size of their stomach. Preferring coastal habitats, the brown and American white pelican are the only two species of pelican known to Alabama. Populations decreased dramatically in the 1950s due to both hunting and pesticide use, but conservation efforts enabled the brown pelican to be delisted in Florida and Alabama in 1985.
White-tailed Deer
The white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have become one of the staples of Alabama wildlife despite being rare before the turn of the 20th century. Adult females, or does range in size from 90 to 140 lbs., while their male counterparts can weight more than 250 lbs. Deer change coats seasonally, sporting a short, reddish-brown color in the summer, which is replaced by longer grayish-brown fur in the winter. Restocking efforts starting in the 1950s brought Alabama population from 2,000 to nearly 1.75 million animals.
Bald Eagle
Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) are a recent addition to the recovered species list, having only just been removed as an Endangered Species list on August 9, 2007. Populations in Alabama average 100 to 150 birds, mostly concentrated in the Pickwick Lake and Guntersville Lake areas. Adults reach majestic heights of 42 inches, and weigh an impressive 14 lbs. The white head feathers that identify this iconic bird do not actually develop until sexual maturity, or 5 years of age.
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