Conservation Efforts Lead to Oystercatcher Population Revival
WHO:
Phys.org - A group of biologists, including Alan Kneidel, a senior conservation biologist with Manomet Conservation Sciences, and Maureen Durkin, a federal wildlife biologist.
ABC News - Shiloh Schulte, a conservation biologist and field scientist who led the American Oystercatcher Working Group, died in a helicopter crash in Alaska.
ABC News - Luanne Johnson, a wildlife biologist who founded the nonprofit BiodiversityWorks.
ABC News - Lindsay Addison, a coastal biologist with Audubon North Carolina.
ABC News - Ted Simons, a retired emeritus professor at North Carolina State University.
WHAT:
Phys.org - American oystercatcher chicks are being captured for banding as part of a conservation effort.
ABC News - Oystercatcher numbers increased by 45% along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts from 2008 to 2023.
ABC News - About $10 million was raised over a decade for the conservation effort involving 35 coastal organizations in 16 states.
ABC News - The breeding pairs of oystercatchers on Martha’s Vineyard increased by 77% since 2009.
ABC News - North Carolina's breeding pairs of oystercatchers increased nearly 20% to 403.
WHERE:
Phys.org - Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge, Rhode Island.
ABC News - South Kingstown, Rhode Island; Martha’s Vineyard; North Carolina’s Outer Banks; South Carolina; Georgia; North Carolina.
WHEN:
ABC News - The conservation effort has been ongoing for years, with specific data from 2008 to 2023.
ABC News - Changes to the Endangered Species Act occurred this month.
WHY:
ABC News - The oystercatcher population was largely wiped out in New England by the turn of the 20th century due to hunting and egg collecting.
ABC News - Conservation efforts were initiated to address the decline in oystercatcher numbers and to protect their nesting sites from predators and human disturbance.
HOW:
ABC News - Conservation measures included educating beachgoers, protecting nesting sites, and implementing tailored plans for different sites.
ABC News - In South Carolina, nearly 30 breeding sites are roped off to protect nesting habitat.
ABC News - Elevated nesting platforms of oyster shells are being built in Georgia to combat climate change impacts.
(UPDATED July 20, 2026 21:24 UTC)
A group of dedicated biologists, including conservation experts like Alan Kneidel and Maureen Durkin, are actively involved in a conservation effort for American oystercatchers, which has seen their numbers increase significantly along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts over the past decade. Tragically, the initiative recently lost a key leader, Shiloh Schulte, who died in a helicopter crash in Alaska, highlighting the risks faced by those committed to wildlife preservation. As part of their ongoing efforts, conservationists are capturing oystercatcher chicks for banding and implementing protective measures at nearly 30 breeding sites in South Carolina, while also constructing elevated nesting platforms in Georgia to mitigate the impacts of climate change.