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The brown pelican nesting
grounds are a critical part of the pelicans habitat. Thousands of brown
pelicans come to Breton National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) every year to nest
and raise their young.
As shown on the
maps, the young birds and adults then
migrate to various location around the Gulf of Mexico. In those
locations they live in pairs and small groups but return to Breton NWR to
nest in large colonies. As shown on the maps, the pelicans seldom travel
inland.
The pelican has learned
that there's safety in numbers and in the isolation of the off-shore
islands but there's also risk. The risk is that one catastrophic event
(natural or man-made) could destroy an entire colony or all the young in a
colony. The obvious catastrophic risks in the Gulf of Mexico near Breton
NWR are oil spills or early season hurricanes that hit before the young
pelicans have gained strength and fledged (learned to fly.)
Other serious but less
catastrophic risks include the gradual loss of habitat from erosion by
storms and wind, long term low level pollution, disruption by humans and
loss of food sources (fish) in the Gulf of Mexico.
Tropical Storm Arlene and Hurricane
Katrina - The 2005
storm season was very bad for the pelicans of Breton NWR. In June,
tropical storm Arlene moved through the Gulf of Mexico. The storm over
washed the islands at a time when many juvenile pelicans were unable to
escape and many eggs were still in the nests. On top of that, an oil spill
from an oil production platform was washed directly into the nesting areas
and many young pelicans were covered with oil. Many of those pelicans were
rescued, rehabilitated and returned to the refuge but many more did not
survive.
Breton NWR also took a
direct hit from Hurricane Katrina. There was significant erosion of the
islands such that large areas of beach and marsh were destroyed and much
of the vegetation that stabilizes the islands and provides habitat for the
pelicans and other animals was uprooted or damaged. The Chandeleur Island
Lighthouse was destroyed.
GOOD NEWS: There is some good news to report
regarding the endangered brown pelicans at Breton NWR. As many as 2,000
brown pelican nests have been reported on the refuge in 2007. The
pelican nests, eggs and chicks remain vulnerable through the tropical
storm season and until they have fledged and can forage on their own. As
always, we hope to avoid damage from early tropical storms and devastating
hurricanes.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service is working with our partners to respond to the many problems
created by the damage to the islands. It would take many years for the
islands to recover naturally (if ever) so we will do what we can to
rebuild and re-vegetate the islands. We are also monitoring the pelicans
and other birds that return to nest on the islands and nearby, less desirable
habitat to determine the long term impact on this endangered species.
There is some good news to
report regarding the endangered brown pelicans at Breton NWR. As many as
2,000 brown pelican nests have been reported on the refuge in 2007. The
pelican nests, eggs and chicks remain vulnerable through the tropical
storm season and until they have fledged and can forage on their own. As
always, we hope to avoid damage from early tropical storms and devastating
hurricanes.
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