Kittlitz's Murrelet Denied Endangered Species Act Protection, Despite up to 90 Percent Species Loss

The Kittlitz's murrelet, an Alaskan seabird whose numbers have been declining, has been denied protection under the Endangered Species Act.

The announcement was made this week by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in response to a 2001 petition to protect the birds, which forage on fish and zooplankton in glacier runoff flowing into ocean waters.

The news was met with dismay by the Center for Biological Diversity, the organization that appealed for the birds' protection.

"The Kittlitz's murrelet is one of America's most imperiled birds, but federal officials have decided not to save the species from extinction," said Shaye Wolf, the Center's climate science director. "It's tragic that our government has denied protection to this clearly endangered seabird, despite overwhelming scientific evidence of drastic population declines and escalating threats from climate change."

Populations of Kittlitz's murrelet -- which is also sometimes called the glacier murrelet -- have "plummeted" in Alaska, the Center said, noting that the number of birds has declined by 80 to 90 percent in recent decades in core areas such as Glacier Bay and Prince William Sound.

The 1989 Exxon-Valdez oil spill is credited with killing up to 10 percent of the worldwide population of the birds. The high volume of oil traffic in the area presents a risk of future oil spills which could prove to be a great threat to the birds, the Center for Biological Diversity said.

In 2001 the Center presented a petition for the birds to be listed as a protected species. Three years later, the bird was placed on a "waiting list" for protection with assurance in 2011 that within four years a decision would be made. This week's decision ends a more than decade-long mission to get the bird included under Endangered Species Act protection.

"Like the polar bear, the Kittlitz's murrelet is in terrible danger from climate change," Wolf said. "In an age of massive climate disruption, it's disturbing to see our wildlife management agencies fail to take this threat seriously."