The light-footed clapper rail, listed as endangered since 1970, reached a milestone in 2011: the 300th bird was released into its native Southern California salt marsh habitat! The free-ranging population of clapper rails has doubled in the past 10 years. Young birds spend time at a pre-conditioning aviary at the Chula Vista Nature Center learning skills such as navigating the marshland, foraging, and predator avoidance. Each of the clapper rails released is given a leg band for identification. Through our partnerships with SeaWorld San Diego, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Game, Chula Vista Nature Center, and countless volunteers, we have once again “railed” against extinction.
