The bald eagle was removed from the endangered species list almost two years ago, however this apparent victory has recently encountered a small set back. In New York, specifically in the region of Catskill Park, local bald eagle chicks have been found with very high levels of mercury. Though New York is one of the areas in the United States where bald eagle populations have had a come back, this new discovery creates a huge risk because the amount of mercury found in the young eagles has been linked with difficulties in reproduction.

In addition to the chicks, the adult eagles have also been found with high levels of mercury in their system, so much so that even the feathers have traces of mercury. In essence, this indicates that the levels of mercury are so high that the birds are infected with more contaminant than they are able to eliminate. At this point it is still difficult to know what exactly the effect of these levels of toxins will be, though the study is still under weigh.

According to leading researchers of the study, the high growth rate in eagle populations could hide the true effect of mercury on reproduction percentages. This is because if one were to view the percentages as a whole, one would not realize that the percentages are higher in areas devoid of the contaminant and lower in areas where mercury can be found.

The situation is still not dire as of this moment. However, if reproduction continues to be negatively affected, this could not only reduce the eagle population but also lessen their ability to survive. The situation will affect humans as well, especially because if eagles are influenced by the toxin, humans are also likely to be affected. Already, residents in the Catskills area are being advised not to eat locally caught fish, as these have been found to contain high levels of Mercury.

Mercury is released into the environment by burning coal. In factories and power plants which are powered by coal, smokestacks carry mercury which is then blown by the wind to ‘unaffected’ areas. Frequently, the toxin is then spread to natural sources of water and to the organisms that live within these bodies of water. In turn the creatures which feed off these organisms also become contaminated; eagles are one of these creatures. Once contaminated their reproduction rates are thought to drop by about 40 percent. Though, the situation is not an emergency if the bald eagle population continues to decline in the area where mercury has been found, the need to act promptly will be confirmed.

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