U.S. bald eagle soars back from near-extinction

Decades of protection efforts including banning of DDT pesticides have resulted in the bird flourishing

This March 4, 2019, image from video provided by Earth Conservation Corps Eagle Cam, shows Bald Eagles Liberty and Justice on their nest in Washington.

The bald eagle, the national symbol of the United States, has bounced back from near-extinction and numbers have quadrupled in the country since 2009,

according to a report released on Thursday.

The eagle's population crashed to an all-time low of 417 known nesting pairs in 1963 — not counting Alaska and Hawaii — but has since soared to more than 71,400 nesting pairs, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said.

Decades of protection efforts including banning of DDT pesticides have resulted in the bird flourishing, with the latest survey confirming a rapid, long-term growth of numbers.

"The recovery of the bald eagle is one of the most well-known conservation success stories of all time," said Service Principal Deputy Director Martha Williams, crediting work between official agencies, tribes, non-government organizations and private landowners.

Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland hailed the "historic conservation success story," saying "announcements like ours today give me hope."