A National Symbol

   In 1782 the Bald Eagle was formally adopted as our national emblem. Eagles , like other predators , have intrigued humans for many centuries. Early settlers in the New World selected the Bald Eagle , a true American species , as a favorite. At that time there were as many as 20,000 nesting pairs in what is now The United States. But in the 225 years since our national symbol has suffered a great decline in numbers. They have been victims of human encroachment , habitat destruction , poisoning , and illegal shooting. By the late 1800's they were already restricted to their breeding strongholds in Alaska , Canada , The Great Lakes and the Pacific Northwest. At one time there were only 3,000 nesting pairs in the lower 48 states.
   In 1978 the federal government declared the Bald Eagle an endangered species in 43 states including Missouri.Since then they have recovered dramatically There are now more than 7,000 nesting pairs in the lower 48 states with 150 or  more known site in Missouri. 
   In 1995 the federal government downgraded the Bald Eagle's status from endangered to threatened throughout it's range ,but it remained on Missouri's endangered list until just recently. In September 2008 The Missouri Conservation Comission removed the Bald Eagle from it's endangered species list.