Their listing helped accelerate a ban on the pesticide DDT and led to habitat protection and captive breeding efforts.
In 1973, bald eagles were one of the first species listed on the ESA as pesticides, trophy hunting and habitat destruction decimated their population to around 400 breeding pairs. Their listing helped accelerate a ban on the pesticide DDT and led to habitat protection and captive breeding efforts. Bald eagle populations in the contiguous US have increased to more than 10,000 breeding pairs.