June 28

On June 28, 2007, the United States removes one of its most commonly-used national symbols from its List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. The de-listing of the bald eagle, which had been close to vanishing from North America around the middle of the 20th century, was one of the most notable wildlife rehabilitation efforts in American history.

Sacred to some Indigenous American cultures, the bald eagle is the national bird of the United States and features prominently in its iconography. Despite its significance, the bird's population declined rapidly over the first half of the 20th century. Use of the common pesticide DDT, which negatively affects bald eagles' fertility and the strength of their egg shells, was a major factor in this decline, but there were a variety of others, including hunting, poaching, electrocution by power line, pollution, and the destruction of large swathes of their natural habitat. The overall population in the lower 48 states, estimated to have been around 400,000 in the 1700s, had declined to fewer than 1,000 by the 1950s.

Congress banned the commercial trapping and killing of bald eagles in 1940, strengthening restrictions in the '60s and '70s. The ban of DDT use in the U.S. in 1972, and its heavy restriction in Canada, also helped revive the species, as did the protective powers afforded the government by the 1973 Endangered Species Act. After being reclassified from “endangered” to “threatened” in 1985, the bald eagle’s de-listing in 2007 represented a major victory for wildlife preservationists.

A Prayer for Our Stewardship of the Animals

Creator of all life,

You formed the earth in wisdom and love,

and placed within it creatures of every kind—

winged and walking, wild and tame,

each one a reflection of Your creativity and care.

We give thanks for the animals,

for their beauty, their strength, their innocence,

and for the bond we share with them

as fellow inhabitants of this world.

Teach us, O God, to be faithful stewards—

to protect what is fragile,

to heal what is wounded,

to shelter what is threatened,

and to cherish the lives that so often go unseen or unheard.

Help us to see not just utility,

but sacredness in every creature.

Let our choices bring life, not harm;

let our hearts be moved by compassion, not convenience.

May we honor the trust You’ve given us,

to care for the earth and all who dwell upon it.

And may our actions speak of love—

for the eagle in the sky,

the fox in the field,

the whale in the deep,

and every being between.

Amen.

Reflection Questions

In what ways do my daily choices (food, clothing, lifestyle) impact the well-being of animals—directly or indirectly?

What spiritual or ethical principles guide my view of humanity’s responsibility to animals?