Endangered Species at the
Regional Shoreline
Enshrouded
in mist, the shoreline resounds with the ratcheting cry of the
California clapper rail. For centuries, this bird has inhabited the
lush, extensive wetlands ringing the Bay. Another bird species, the
least tern, dances over the water on tiny crescent shaped wings, hunting
for fish from Bay waters. Both of these species tied so closely to the
natural areas of the San Francisco Bay estuary are now in danger of
becoming extinct due to loss of habitat. More than 90% of the Bay's
fresh and saltwater marshlands have been lost due to landfill and
development. The fragments that remain, such as those protected by the
East Bay Regional Park District, are vital to the continued existence of
these and other creatures and plants.
Sharol Nelson-Embry
East Bay Regional Park District
"Walk Along the Water"
© Oakland Museum of California, used with permission.
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