Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announces an increase in the bald eagle population during a call with the media on March 24, 2021.

“This is truly a historic conservation success story,” Haaland said of a report showing that bald eagle numbers have quadrupled since 2009.

“The bald eagle has always been considered a sacred species to American Indian people,” said Haaland, who is the first Native person to lead the Department of the Interior.

“Similarly, it’s sacred to our nation as America’s national symbol,” added Haaland, a citizen of the Pueblo of Laguna.

“The strong return of this treasured bird reminds of our nation’s shared resilience and the importance of being responsible stewards of our lands and waters that bind us together,” said Haaland.

According to scientists from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Migratory Bird Program, the bald eagle population climbed to an estimated 316,700 individual bald eagles in the lower 48 states.

“This is truly a historic conservation success story,” Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland says of new report showing that bald eagle population has quadrupled in the last four years. @SecDebHaaland calls for partnerships with tribes going forward. #Eagles @Interior @USFWS pic.twitter.com/yGN4Jnsk2q

— indianz.com (@indianz) March 24, 2021

Note: Cover photo of bald eagle at Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska by Lisa Hupp / U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Final Report: Bald Eagle Population Size: 2020 Update (March 24, 2021)

News Release: America’s Bald Eagle Population Continues to Soar (March 24, 2021)

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