Wildlife of the Delaware River Need Our Voice
From river otters and great blue herons to osprey and bobcats, the Delaware River watershed harbors a remarkable array of wildlife, yet many are in serious trouble and up to one third of U.S. species are at increased risk of extinction. Habitat loss and degradation, invasive species, disease, and pollution all pose threats to our wildlife—threats that are being amplified by a rapidly changing climate.
Habitat starts with healthy water, and a growing body of research demonstrates that investing in conservation can make a difference for sustaining healthy populations of fish and wildlife. Now is the time for the governors of New Jersey, Delaware, New York, and Pennsylvania to come together to take concrete steps to reverse these wildlife declines.
Ranging from densely forested headwaters streams in the Upper Delaware River to the bayshores of the estuary, the watershed has many different types of landscapes that support wildlife. Conservation efforts are helping restore bog turtles, shad, and bald eagles, but more must be done to help sturgeon, oysters, and mussels, and we must continue to reduce industrial impacts on fisheries.
The key to a 10,000 mile journey
One great example of the type of impact we can see if the governors stand up for the Delaware is seen on the Delaware Bay’s sandy beaches that serve as a critical stopping point for migrating shorebirds that feed on the eggs of horseshoe crabs every spring. Unfortunately, coastal erosion has resulted in the significant loss of the sandy beach habitat where horseshoe crabs spawn.
About 70 percent of spawning habitat was destroyed by Superstorm Sandy in 2012 when storm surge stripped away sand and deposited rubble. After the storm, very little sandy shoreline remained for horseshoe crabs to spawn and the rubble created obstacles that trapped crabs or otherwise prevented them from reaching spawning areas above the high tide line. The potential impact was catastrophic to horseshoe crabs—and to the shorebirds that depend on crab eggs for the nourishment they need to continue on to their Arctic nesting grounds.
In response to this crisis, states around the Delaware Bay sprang into action. In New Jersey, a coalition of conservation organizations and government agencies quickly managed to raise over $1.4 million to restore the beaches. Together the partners removed over 80 tons of debris and restored vital beach habitat by depositing 40,000 tons of sand before the next spawning season. In Delaware, the state agency worked with conservation partners to secure more than $5 million to restore important beach habitat for spawning crabs, as well as coastal wetland habitats used by shorebirds for safe roosting between feeding bouts.
These rapid actions ensured that when red knots, ruddy turnstones and other shorebirds reached the Delaware Bay the next spring, they found plenty of eggs around the bay to eat and safe places to rest at this critical migratory stopover. Yet, much more restoration and protection work needs to be done to ensure the long-term resilience of Delaware Bay habitats that support migratory shorebirds and horseshoe crabs.
Working together for wildlife
It’s time to stand up for wildlife. We can make a difference. Protecting wildlife makes our beaches and wild places destinations. Enhancing ecotourism, such as birding, hiking, hunting, and angling, from the Water Gap to the Bayshores, and developing a comprehensive network of recreational trails, are critical components of any integrated recreational strategy will help conserve the wildlife who depend on the Delaware.