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This is for the From Shore to Sea lecture tonight at the Santa Barbara
Maritime Museum and tomorrow evening at the Channel Islands National
Park headquarters...<br>
<br>
Tina<br>
<br>
<br>
June
10, 2008<o:p></o:p><br>
<p class="MsoHeader"><span
style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: NPSRawlinsonOT; color: black;">For
Immediate Release<o:p></o:p><br>
Yvonne Menard, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Channel
Islands</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">National Park</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>
(805) 658-5725<o:p></o:p><br>
Shauna Bingham, <st1:place w:st="on">Channel Islands</st1:place>
National Marine Sanctuary (805) 382-6149 #102<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: NPSRawlinsonOT; color: black;"><o:p> </o:p><br>
Peregrine Falcons Move Closer to
Recovery on the California Channel Islands <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt;"><span
style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: NPSRawlinsonOT;"><o:p></o:p>Brian
Latta, S<a moz-do-not-send="true" name="OLE_LINK1"><span style="">anta
Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group </span></a>(SCPBRG)
biologist, will discuss efforts to reestablish peregrine falcons to the
California Channel Islands following their decline from the impacts of
DDT at the
June “From Shore to Sea” lectures.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt;"><span
style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: NPSRawlinsonOT;"><o:p> </o:p>The
peregrine falcon, once a common resident on the <st1:place w:st="on">Channel
Islands</st1:place>, was nearly extirpated during a major DDT-induced
population
decline that affected the North American continent between 1947 and
1972. As a
result of reintroduction efforts by SCPBRG, peregrine falcons have
reoccupied
the islands. However, pollutants continue to be present at levels which
cause
concern. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt;"><span
style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: NPSRawlinsonOT;"><o:p> </o:p>Latta
will discuss the results of a 2007 survey of peregrine falcons
conducted on all
eight of the Channel Islands in which biologists monitored breeding
activity;
banded young; and analyzed eggs, eggshell fragments, blood samples, and
prey
remains. They found 20 peregrine pairs that successfully hatched 35
young.
Additionally, Latta will discuss the prevalence of eggshell thinning
still
found in peregrine eggs and its impact on their productivity on the
northern <st1:place w:st="on">Channel Islands</st1:place>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt;"><span
style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: NPSRawlinsonOT;"><o:p> </o:p>Latta
earned his B.S. degree in Natural Resource Management with an emphasis
on wildlife
at the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType>
of <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Maryland</st1:PlaceName></st1:place>. He
has been
a member of the SCPBRG field team since 1989 and lead field biologist
since
1993. Latta was also lead biologist on a multi-agency effort to
relocate golden
eagles from Channel Islands National Park to protect island foxes. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt;"><span
style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: NPSRawlinsonOT;"><o:p> </o:p>The
“From Shore to Sea” lecture series is jointly sponsored by <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Channel Islands</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">National
Park</st1:PlaceType> and Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary with
generous support from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Santa
Barbara</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Maritime</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Museum</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>. The
purpose of the series is to
further the understanding of research on the <st1:place w:st="on">Channel
Islands</st1:place> and surrounding waters. The lectures will occur at
7:00
p.m. on Tuesday, June 10, 2008, at <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Santa
Barbara</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Maritime</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">Museum</st1:PlaceType>,
<st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">113 Harbor Way</st1:address></st1:Street>
in the <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Santa Barbara</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">Harbor</st1:PlaceType> and Wednesday, June 11, 2008, at the
Channel
Islands National Park Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center, <st1:Street
w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">1901 Spinnaker Drive</st1:address></st1:Street>
in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Ventura</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Harbor</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>. The
programs are free and open
to the public.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt;"><span
style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: NPSRawlinsonOT;"><o:p> </o:p>This
publication is available on line at</span><span style="">:
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.nps.gov/chis/parknews/newsreleases.htm"><span
style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: NPSRawlinsonOT;">www.nps.gov/chis/parknews/newsreleases.htm</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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