Attributing the change to conservation efforts throughout the Southeast, South Carolina wildlife enthusiasts on Monday celebrated the red-cockaded woodpecker's official removal from the federal endangered list.
Red-cockaded woodpeckers were first recognized as endangered in 1970, then given protection under the Endangered Species Act three years later, according to the S.C. Department of Natural Resources.
Back in October, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said it planned to move the bird from the "endangered" classification to "threatened" on the federal government's endangered list.
The reclassification took effect Monday.
In statement, state DNR's Emily Cope called the down-listing by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service a "conservation milestone."
"While this is a moment of progress, it also serves as a reminder that nature’s recovery is a shared responsibility, one that requires persistence, collaboration, and a deep commitment to the landscapes we all rely on," Cope, the deputy director of DNR's Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division, said.
Cope added, "The future of the red-cockaded woodpecker — and the ecosystem it represents — is brighter today thanks to the efforts of those who never gave up."
What makes red-cockaded woodpeckers special, state DNR said, is that the bird excavates cavities living in pine trees — a process that can take years. The birds sleep in the holes, as do other animals, according to DNR.
Dating back to when European settlers first arrived in the Southeast, DNR said the birds have faced a habitat threat as the pine timber business has grown.
The state's natural resources department said there were fewer than 10,000 birds at the time when the red-cockaded woodpecker was placed on the federal endangered list.
Nearly three decades ago, the South Carolina's Department of Natural Resources started its red-cockaded woodpecker Safe Harbor Program, encouraging private landowners to help with the bird's habitat.
State DNR said the government's down-listing of the bird will not alter its program or any benefits to enrollment, which now boasts about 200 landowners. That enrollment has contributed to more than 360,000 protected acres and nearly 500 red-cockaded woodpecker groups, DNR said.
The state agency said it also has 118 active red-cockaded woodpecker clusters on 12 properties.
Despite the bird's down-listing, state DNR said the bird and its ecosystem will need continued protection through land management.
