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Do a Good Tern and Protect the Terns
Do a Good Tern and Protect the Terns
The Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve at 1,449 acres, is the largest remaining salt water marsh in southern California between Monterey Bay and Tijuana River Estuary.
The Reserve is known for its beautiful natural habitat, in a highly urbanized area surrounded by over 200,00 people. People utilize the trails daily for walking, running, nature photography and wildlife viewing, and attracts visitors from around the world.
Each year in spring around April, the Reserve becomes a temporary home to thousands of terns that utilize the nesting islands on the Reserve to find mates, build nests, catch food, lay eggs and raise their young. Of the handful of species of terns that utilize the Reserve, the most noteworthy are the Elegant Terns and the Federally and State listed endangered California Least Tern.
Recently there were two incidents of drones illegally operating over two of the Reserve's nesting islands, on May 11th a drone crashed into the Elegant Tern nesting site causing thousands of these birds to abandon approximately 1,500 unhatched eggs parents were incubating.
This is the first time in the more than 20 years of monitoring these nesting birds that an event like this has been observed. This tragic event has brought attention to the issue that, now more than ever, we need to protect our remaining open spaces and wildlife sanctuaries located in highly urbanized areas.
To help combat this issue, the Conservancy is aiming to raise funds to install new educational signage in partnership with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The signage will outline regulations at the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve as well as the impacts that prohibited activities have on birds and other native wildlife of the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve.
Any donation helps, so please consider supporting the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve and its native species through this special fundraising campaign!