Saving the eastern black rail from extinction could cost an estimated $433 million and take 60 years to accomplish, according to a draft species recovery plan now being circulated by the Fish and Wildlife Service.
The estimated recovery cost for the small marsh bird listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act is markedly higher than for many other ESA-listed plants and animals. It’s also subject to change.
“It should be noted that some costs for recovery actions are not determinable at this time, and therefore the total cost for recovery may ultimately be higher than this estimate,” the Fish and Wildlife Service stated, adding that “although unlikely, costs may ultimately be lower.”
The eventual recovery price tag, according to the federal agency, will depend in part on whether the eastern black rail’s populations can shift inland as climate change wreaks havoc on the birds’ current coastal habitat.
