Pacific Northwest Sea Bird May Lose Threatened' Status

摘要

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) agreed last week to review the protected status of the marbled murrelet, a sea bird that nests in the coastal forests of the Pacific Northwest. The move comes in response to a timber industry-led petition claiming that the bird does not meet key provisions of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA). But opponents cry foul, arguing that the industry petition hinges on a flawed analysis. What's more, other, more recent studies show that the population is in rapid decline, some scientists say, and any change to its status could be disastrous.