Extinction Awareness Day

Heath Hen Timeline * 1791 - New York passes the first American law to protect a species.  The law called for "the preservation of heath-hen and other game..." but New York citizens thought the law was designed to protect "heathens" (Native Americans) so the law was overlooked. * 1870 - no heath hens left on the main land, and 300 heath hens were moved to Martha's Island. * 1890 - there were only 120 - 200 left due to feral cats. * 1908 - there was a Heath Hen Reserve created * 1910 - the population rose to about 2,000 * 1916 - a fire broke out on Martha's Vineyard * 1920 - 600 left after an outbreak of poultry disease and a population rise in area hawks. * 1927 - 12 left, only two of those remaining were female. * December 8, 1932 - Booming Ben was the last of the heath hens * March 11, 1932 - the day that the heath hen went extinct   Here are some pictures I took while visiting the Natural History Museum in DC with my kids.

I took these pictures while visiting the Lost Bird Project sculptures with my kids in DC. The real Martha's body was sent to the Museum of Natural History in DC after her death and was put on display to mark the 100th anniversary of the passenger pigeons extinction September 1, 1914. We also visited the Cincinnati Zoo which is where the last passenger pigeon, Martha, and the last Carolina parakeet went extinct.  (Ironically the real Martha was on display in DC, while the Cincinnati Zoo renovated their Passenger Pigeon Memorial over the summer)