Wildlife officials in Vermont have announced the annual closures of 12 cliffs

Wildlife officials in Vermont have announced the annual closures of 12 cliffs where peregrine falcons nest, which will run until August 1 to protect the birds during breeding season. Peregrine falcons were once an endangered species due to the pesticide DDT, but reintroduction efforts have seen them removed from Vermont’s endangered list. However, their nesting sites remain vulnerable to human activities such as rock climbing and hiking, which can scare young birds or keep falcons away from their young. Volunteers and officials monitor the nests, determine incubation, hatching and fledging dates, and count the number of young fledged at each site