
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, March 27, 1992                   TAG: 9203270319
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: NEWPORT NEWS                                LENGTH: Medium

NESTING EAGLE PAIRS ON THE INCREASE

The number of nesting pairs of bald eagles in Virginia climbed to 111 last year from 32 in 1977, says Mitchell A. Byrd, a College of William and Mary biologist.

But Byrd also said 30 percent of the eagle nesting pairs in the state in 1990 moved and built new nests elsewhere by 1991, an indication that the birds still may be threatened by development.

The growing eagle population has prompted speculation that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service might remove the bald eagle from the endangered species list.

But a proposal to classify the eagle as "threatened" rather than "endangered" has stalled one year after the wildlife service was expected to make a decision.

An endangered species is at risk of becoming extinct; a threatened species is at risk of becoming endangered, according to the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

The delay has pleased most eagle experts, who say changing the bird's status would send the wrong message: that bald eagles need less protection to rejuvenate their species.

Wildlife service biologists admit that changing the status may prompt state and local officials to more frequently allow development near eagle nests.

Byrd said he saw a bulldozer within 300 feet of an eagle nest near the Piankatank River on the Middle Peninsula this year.

Eagle advocates also claim the wildlife service doesn't want to make a decision during a presidential election year.

"Given the nature of this year - an election year - I wouldn't want to make a controversial decision like this one either," said Jim Fraser, a Virginia Tech biologist. "Downlisting eagles will rile some people.

by CNB