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Galapagos bird species sees massive drop in population numbers

Recent research shows the blue-footed booby population is down about 14,000 over the last 20 years.

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS -- A year ago, Sven introduced you to the unique wildlife of the Galapagos Islands, along with some of the great work the U of M's Raptor Center was doing to save Galapagos Hawks.

Another notorious Galapagos bird is the blue-footed booby, but recent research from the Galapagos conservancy finds that the population is down from 20,000 birds 20 years ago to only 6,000 today.

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Researchers blame a massive drop in the late 1990s from a very warm El Nino episode killing off the sardine population. Sardines seem to be the link to successful breeding as they provide the most nutrient rich food source.

This is just another example of how particularly sensitive species can be, especially in island eco-systems, Sven said.

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