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The greater sage grouse has effectively gone extinct in North Dakota, according to state wildlife biologists. For the first time ever, researchers failed to find any male birds during their annual population census at mating sites, according to E & E News.
The species has been in steep decline for decades, dropping from around 250 birds in the 1990s to just 31 in the 2010s. Last year, only three males were found at two remaining mating areas. This year – none.
Biologists point the blame at habitat loss incurred from agriculture and development, plus West Nile Virus, for wiping out the population. The birds remain strong in Wyoming, where aggressive weed management protects their sagebrush habitat. North Dakota now joins the growing list of states where this iconic western bird has disappeared.
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