Funding Cuts Place Great Lakes Piping Plover In Danger

Endangered species are the most protected beings on the planet as there are tons of resources used to keep them safe. The endangered species laws allow for them to continue living and hopefully repopulate as humans are restricted in their interactions with them. Choosing to ignore these warnings could lead to fines or jail time for those convicted.

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There are endangered species all over the world as they all deal with different circumstances and predators that make it hard for them to live. Several different endangered species call Michigan home and the Michigan DNR and other members of the state are doing everything they can to keep those precious animals safe.

One of those endangered species is the Piping Plover which has called Michigan and the Great Lakes home for decades. As federal funding continues to be slashed in many areas around the country, experts are concerned that the Piping Plover population will be in danger without the proper care.

Currently Michigan wildlife officials have helped protect the population at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore by closing off certain stretches of beach and placing cages over their nests that allow the plovers to come and go but keep predators out. There are only about 80 nesting pairs of the tiny birds left in the wild — more than half of which nest in northern Michigan.

They understand that without the federal funds it will be harder to have paid and volunteer presence at nesting sites and access to protection efforts. The Great Lakes piping plover is pocket-sized, growing to about 7 inches long with a wingspan that barely cracks a foot. The average adult weighs about 2 ounces, making for a delicious snack for lakeshore predators like birds of prey, snakes, raccoons and opossums.

Habitat loss is the main culprit that is driving them to extinction as they like the open beaches. As more shoreline is taken away by erosion, development, and recreation, there is less space for the Piping Plovers to nest.