We chose this photo of a peregrine falcon—a female, walking across the rail of a balcony in Chicago—to inspire hope on Endangered Species Day. Not every animal listed as endangered is doomed to extinction. Peregrine populations were decimated by the use of pesticides, such as DDT, in the mid-20th century. The chemicals accumulated in the birds’ bodies, causing weak eggshells and high mortality rates for chicks. But by the 1980s humans had learned the cause, reduced and eliminated the various chemicals, and helped the birds rebound with gusto.
It’s Endangered Species Day
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Perfect timing
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Native American Heritage Day
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Yellow-eyed penguins, Moeraki, New Zealand
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Salzburg, Austria
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Ready, set, read
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Panda Day
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Aura River in Turku, Finland
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We heart Berlin
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The party’s just starting
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Aqueduct, Arkadia Park, Poland
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Cherry blossoms spring to life
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International Polar Bear Day
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The first ascent
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Bearded reedlings in Flevoland
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Pont dArcole over the Seine river, Paris, France
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When in Rome...celebrate Saturnalia
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Where the wildflowers grow
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Autumn in the cypress swamp
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Winter solstice
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Seasonal lights dazzle in Japan
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Up in the Highlands
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It’s Opening Day for Major League Baseball
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The power of the forest
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Let the holiday shopping commence
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Celebrating a young girl s age-old discovery
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Ancient theater of Epidaurus, Greece
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Detroit Industry Murals by Diego Rivera
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What happened to these clouds?
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Books for children of all ages
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Whatever floats your boat