Ocean Grove Record

The Nature Grove

Red Knots, a threatened species in New Jersey, explore rocks along the Ocean Grove beach recently, dining on small invertebrates. This species will be the subject of a PBS documentary on February 10, 2008 at 8:00 p.m.

Endangered Species
in Ocean Grove

by Mike Au Natural

New Jersey is home to at least 70 species which the state’s Division of Fish and Wildlife have classified as being either endangered or threatened – several of those same species are also listed at the federal level as well. Some of these species can actually be observed within Ocean Grove, and even more may be observed within the larger Neptune Township area.

As a little background, the Division of Fish and Wildlife defines Endangered as: Species whose prospects for survival within the state are in immediate danger due to one or several factors, such as loss or degradation of habitat, overexploitation, predation, competition, disease or environmental pollution, etc. An Endangered species likely requires immediate action to avoid extinction within New Jersey.” Threatened species are defined as: Species that may become Endangered if conditions surrounding it begin to or continue to deteriorate. Thus, a Threatened species is one that is already vulnerable as a result of small population size, restricted range, narrow habitat affinities, significant population decline, etc.”

Let’s start with the marine animals (my personal favorite). There are four species of sea turtle (Green, Kemp’s Ridley, Leatherback, and Loggerhead) as well as three species of whale (Fin, Humpback, and North Atlantic Right) which are listed as endangered or threatened in New Jersey (all are federally listed as well) which you could possibly view from the Ocean Grove beach. Albeit, your chances of seeing them are slim, but I know for a fact that some Ocean Grovers have spotted a Humpback Whale breaching (jumping out of the water) off our shore.

These marine species are rare to begin with, and when you add in the fact that they’re out at sea and submerged most of the time, it’s not surprising that many residents aren’t aware of the existence of these animals in New Jersey waters.

Birds, on the other hand, are much easier to observe and there are several endangered or threatened species in Ocean Grove. The Least Tern, a small fish-eating primarily white-colored bird, can often be observed foraging for small fish over Fletcher Lake or in the ocean. This beach-nesting bird, which does not nest in Ocean Grove, is considered to be endangered in New Jersey.

Another bird often seen foraging for larger fish over Fletcher Lake or the ocean is the Osprey. The Osprey is considered to be a threatened species in New Jersey. Years ago, their numbers were decimated largely due to the use a pesticide called DDT, which would work its way through the food-chain up to the Osprey, causing its egg shells to become thin and brittle, thus destroying the eggs and causing the numbers of Osprey to decline. Largely due to the national ban on DDT and the erection of artificial nesting platforms throughout the state, the species has made a dramatic recovery, although it is not out of the woods yet.

Although not nesting in Ocean Grove, they do nest in Neptune Township, within the Shark River estuary area. They have extremely sharp talons which are used for holding fish, the only prey they dine upon. An interesting trick they perform is that, upon catching a fish, they will turn it head forwards in order to make it more streamlined as they fly back to the nest with their kill.

Two other threatened bird species you may encounter in and around the Shark River estuary are the Black-crowned Night-heron and the Yellow-crowned Night-heron. These two beautiful species nest in trees but forage in water, usually dining on small crustaceans such as crabs. Although they don’t nest in Ocean Grove, you can occasionally see one looking for a meal or resting around Fletcher Lake.

Our national symbol, the Bald Eagle, can also be seen around the Shark River estuary fairly regularly. Although considered endangered in New Jersey, this iconic bird was recently removed from the federal list of threatened species. They are making a comeback in New Jersey too.

In 1973, when the Endangered and Nongame Species Conservation Act was passed, there was just one nesting pair in the entire state, in a remote forest in Cumberland County. In 2007 however, the NJ Endangered and Non-game Species Program monitored 64 Bald Eagle pairs throughout the state, 59 of which were actively nesting (with eggs). While some pairs have nested in Monmouth County, none have yet to settle down and actually nest in Neptune Township, although it could very well happen soon.

These impressive birds may have a wingspan of up to 8-feet long and may live for over 20 years. Bald Eagles, like Osprey, are birds of prey which primarily dine on fish. However, Bald Eagles are also known to prey on small mammals, reptiles, and waterfowl as well as scavenge. Like the Osprey, one cause for this species' decline was the use of pesticides such as DDT as well as intentional shootings and poisonings. Today, the primary threats to Bald Eagles in New Jersey are habitat loss and the potentially harmful impacts of contaminants such as organochlorines and heavy metals, which may impair their ability to reproduce.

The Cooper’s Hawk, a threatened species which can be seen occasionally in Ocean Grove, is a bird of prey which primarily dines on other birds. It’s a crow-sized bird which can take down other birds as large as pigeons. Again, this species’ numbers had declined in the past due to the use of pesticides which unintentionally harmed more than the insects that they were intended to kill. In addition, being that these hawks like to hunt other birds, farmers would occasionally intentionally shoot them for fear of losing their chickens to them. The adults are primarily blue-gray on their backs and striped on the breast, with the juveniles being more brown in coloration.

Although currently considered threatened in New Jersey, they will soon be removed from that list since they have made quite a successful recovery. In fact, I have observed them on a number of occasions within my own tiny yard in Ocean Grove.

On one occasion, I actually saw one catch and kill a pigeon. However, on another occasion, I unintentionally caused a Cooper’s Hawk to lose its meal. One Sunday afternoon while I was reading the newspaper in my living room, I heard a horrible sound of a bird outside the house being attacked. Being that there were so many cats in the neighborhood, I had assumed that a cat had caught a bird. I swung upon the front door, prepared to chase after a cat, when to my amazement, I saw a Cooper’s Hawk, with a Mockingbird in its talons fighting for its life. My opening of the door scared the Hawk away and the Mockingbird flew into a nearby cedar tree, a bit ruffled, but very much alive. Although I felt bad that I had cost the Hawk its dinner, the Mockingbird seemed a bit appreciative.

The Red Knot, a Robin-sized shorebird, is also considered to be a threatened species in New Jersey. They are primarily observed during the spring and fall as they migrate past New Jersey. They are known for primarily concentrating along the shorelines of the Delaware Bay where they will dine on the eggs of Horseshoe Crabs before continuing on their long migration northward to the Canadian Arctic. It is only through the nourishing bounty that the Horseshoe Crab eggs provide, that these birds are able to sustain the energy necessary for such a long journey. However, as is too often the case, humankind has interfered with nature’s grand plan.

Horseshoe Crabs have been so over-harvested within Delaware Bay (for use as bait for whelks and eels), that the numbers of Horseshoe Crab eggs laid on the beaches have declined dramatically, thus leading to a decline in the number of Red Knots. Should you be interested in more information regarding this species and its plight in New Jersey, PBS (channel 13 in Ocean Grove) will be airing a documentary regarding their plight on Sunday, February 10, 2008 at 8:00 p.m.

The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife has a separate bureau known as the Endangered and Non-game Species Program which oversees the protection and recovery of endangered and threatened species in New Jersey. They work closely with a non-profit organization, the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey, to save these species from extinction within our state. Their website is www.conservewildlifenj.org and besides conducting scientific research on these species, they also work with the state’s Endangered and Non-game Species Program to map locations of where these species exist. This information is then utilized to regulate land-use in the state and attempt to preserve whatever endangered and threatened species habitat remains in New Jersey.

If you’re interest in viewing the entire list of rare species in New Jersey, the Endangered and Non-game Species Program’s website is: www.njfishandwildlife.com/ensphome.htm.

Should you happen to observe any of these rare species yourself, please report it to the Endangered and Non-game Species program by completing one of their Sighting Report Forms. These can be downloaded from the following link: www.njfishandwildlife.com/ensp/rprtform.htm. Because the biologists who work for this program cannot possibly survey every inch of the state, they rely on these Sighting Report Forms to assist them in monitoring the numbers and whereabouts of New Jersey’s rare species.

Read Mike's previous column:

Wintertime Beachgoers
and find links to all his columns here