Peregrine Falcons are still here, back from the brink of extinction and a case study that demonstrates how the endangered species protections can succeed. The saving of the Endangered Peregrine Falcon hasn't cost much, and has produced many unanticipated benefits.

This bird is off the endangered list, though it's still a species of concern, and it's instructive to examine what it took to get here. What is really needed to save a species or a genus from extinction?

It took a recognition that extinction was happening, it took a commitment by humans that these creatures survive this human civilization. Wildlife biology contributed a knowledge of the life cycle and habitat requirements for the birds.

Since Falcons have been kept by royalty for hunting for centuries, there was a lot of knowledge of how to raise birds, though these birds have some unique habits that made saving them more difficult, such as the tendency to nest on clifs, bridges, and skyscrapers.

The effort brought together lawyers who crafted legislation, legislation that created habitat protection, funding for the guardians at SPRIG ( University of California at Santa Cruz) who lead the program. The effort also included volunteers, foundations, private funding, public information, web cams, web discussion groups, web pages, power company mitigation measures ( technical support and retrofitting power systems to stop killing birds), special feeding and care techniques, protection of fledglings, public interest and support, media coverage, organization, facilities, cooperation from private landowners, public land trusts, being included in the mission of the fish and wildlife service, support for the Fish and Wildlife Service, documentary films, public education programs, and more.

The costs have been spread out over 25 years, and should go on for many more decades. Saving the endangered Peregrine Falcon from extinction also brought benefits to our society. We've learned what it takes, and we've done it. Saving species who have lived on earth for hundreds of millions of years from extinction is sacred work, a sacred duty for our civilization. Here is an example of the best of our society, a case where many segments of our society came together to do a compassionate act, and it worked.

The new knowledge of how the knowledge enabled a few dedicated folks to develop technology that could help with raising birds by humans who could successfully live in the wild. Life cycle studies, population studies, and looking at the cause of death for these rare birds was part of the successful save.

In the course of the quest to save the Peregrine Falcon from extinction, we've learned about how our ecosystem was shifting, exhibiting pathology, with the birds as a signal to pay attention, to recognize the shifts that were killing off beings who lived with us for so long. The simple act of putting a metal triangle on a power pole cross arm so that these big birds aren't electrocuted anytime they perch on a pole made a big difference in Peregrine mortality. The intervention of the Peregrine experts when birds have nests in an inappropriate site reduced the mortality of the babies, but will require an ongoing commitment if the "saving" is to continue, if we are to live together with our cities. Maybe the birds will adapt to cities more successfully, or maybe with enough birds in the wild it won't matter so much.

UCAL Santa Cruz biologists effectively utilized web cams to both monitor nests, and to stir up public support, volunteers, and even some funding. Web news groups are a way of coordinating, informing and mobilizing the Peregrine Falcon community. Telemetry has helped with tracking, that gave knowledge of how the birds travel, where they like to live, etc. Private land owners who protected nesting sites, who cooperate with University and wildlife care folk play an important role in this effort. Public education through documentary films or videos, tv specials, news releases, all help to develop the public awareness that makes this effort work.

The fact that these groups have effectively worked together is a bit of "intellectual or community capital", as this shared experience of successful cooperation is a model for other projects to emulate.

So while some bemoan or belittle the endangered species protection laws, the reality in this case is that a modest amount of resources from both public and private sources has been successful. None of the "job loss" or other "terrible impacts" have occurred, the restrictions on habitat conversion to human use haven't stifled the California economy.

Climate change is going to make such challenges much more frequent and even more difficult, and they make the life-affirming response even more necessary, even more important. We can help many creatures to transition to the new world humans have created with our release of greenhouse gasses, we can help them find new niches, we can create new niches for them if we are smart.