Snowy plovers return to beach after 40 years; 212 released since 2016

Western snowy plovers have returned to nesting at Coal Oil Point Reserve in Isla Vista, California, after about 40 years without nesting there. The return followed conservation work that included fencing and a docent programme to reduce human disturbance around the birds, Santa Barbara Independent reported. The Santa Barbara Zoo has also been helping the population by rescuing abandoned eggs and chicks, raising them and releasing them back into the wild.Last Tuesday, the zoo released 11 rehabilitated snowy plovers at Coal Oil Point. The birds were released as part of a partnership involving the zoo, UC Santa Barbara and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.