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In
the spring of 2006, adult Caspian
and Elegant terns began nesting
on two empty barges anchored in
the Long Beach Harbor. The
barges quickly became covered with
thousands of the beautiful white
birds; nesting, incubating and
feeding their young. The
colony was the northernmost breeding
colony in the world and the first
recorded colony established on
barges. News of the rare
colony spread quickly and stories
began appearing in newspaper, television
and birder blogs. Tern
colony decimated
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Caspian
Terns, with green marking
for study purposes, get ready
to be released at the Salton
Sea from the San Pedro bird
center. (Jay Holcomb/IBRRC
photo) |
Biologists, bird lovers
and kids learning about nature were
thrilled by the sight and the viewing
the colonies became the high point
of Long Beach harbor cruise tours.
But on Wednesday, and Friday, June
28, and June 30, 911 calls came into
IBRRC’s San Pedro Center. One
barge, and then the other, had been
cleaned of all the terns – the
colonies were completely destroyed.
Dead baby terns lay on the beach
like trash. IBRRC staff and vets
who responded to the grizzly scene
found only nine elegant and 15 Caspian
tern chicks still alive among the
hundreds of dead and dying.
It was a tragic and heartbreaking
ending to what had become a thrilling
sight for everyone who saw the thriving
colony. IBRRC staff and vets rushed
the cold, wet and hungry survivors
back to the center while others counted
and collected every body as evidence.
(Migratory birds are protected by
both state and federal laws and animal
cruelty is a felony in California.)
News crews recorded the crime scene
while USFWS and California Dept.
of Fish & Game began investigating.
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Surviving Elegant
Terns before being
released from San Pedro
bird center. (Jay Holcomb/IBRRC
photo) |
Would the baby terns
survive in captivity?
Without their parents,
baby terns are most certainly at
a disadvantage and it was unknown
whether they could be raised in captivity
and released back to the wild. Terns
are incredibly attentive parents
who feed their young for many months
while also teaching them how to fish. Fortunately,
these babies were at the best wildlife
rescue center in California and they
did survive, and thrive. IBRRC
staff and volunteers where thrilled
when they saw adult terns, with fish
in their mouths, flying above the
cages that housed the chicks. Could
the parents have found their babies? Stranger
things have happened.
Six weeks later, the
Caspian and Elegant terns were fully
feathered juveniles and deemed ready
for release back to the wild – a
major wildlife rehabilitation accomplishment.
The elegant terns had caught on quickly
and grew to be strong and capable
hunters; the Caspian terns continued
to beg and were more of a challenge
to IBRRC staff. However, every
tern survived and the decision was
made to release the two species separately,
at two different locations.
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Rescued Elegant
Tern before being released
from San Pedro bird center.
(Jay Holcomb/IBRRC photo) |
On August 14, as cameras
snapped, the 9 elegant terns were
released at Cabrillo beach, where
other of their species were feeding. They
had been fitted with double bands,
one Federal and one color and also
had been marked with a bright green
dot, so birders could easily identify
and report the sighting of them.
The following Saturday,
the 15 Caspian Terns were driven
to Salton Sea where thousands of
their species were feeding. Being
among other Caspian’s would
give them the best chance of surviving
on their own.
The almost complete destruction
of the tern colonies on two barges
in Long Beach Harbor is still being
investigated by both Federal and
State wildlife authorities. The
International Fund for Animal Welfare
(IFAW) posted a $10,000 reward as
well as providing $5,000 for the
care of the terns.
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Raised
at the San Pedro Center,
15 surviving baby Caspian
Terns were released at Salton
Sea in August 2006. (Jay
Holcomb/IBRRC photo) |
About IBRRC
IBRRC has been helping
birds around the world since 1971.
Its mission is to mitigate human
impact on aquatic birds and other
wildlife. This is achieved through
rehabilitation, emergency response,
education, research, planning and
training.
About IFAW
Founded in 1969, IFAW
works around the globe to protect
animals and their habitats and to
create a better world for animals
and people. See: IFAW website |
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Opinion:
From
the LA Times
Could the deaths of
thousands of terns in Long Beach
have been prevented?
News reports:
Taking
flight
Long Beach Press-Telegram
story on release of terns.
Tern
for the Better
LA Times story on release
of terns.
Other Links:
Elegant terns
Caspian terns
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