WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Rob Portman (R-OH) announced a Senate resolution calling attention to the 100th anniversary of the extinction of the last known passenger pigeon. In the resolution, Brown and Portman stressed the importance of preserving biodiversity and increasing conservation practices to ensure the long-term sustainability of our ecosystems. 

“The extinction of plants and animals from our planet should serve as a wakeup call,” Brown said. “The strain put on our natural environment, combined with the effects of global warming and climate change, threaten our biodiversity. We must do more to prioritize conservation and sustainability to help ensure no more plants or animals face the same fate as the passenger pigeon.”

“One hundred years ago, Americans across the eastern United States could have looked up into the sky and seen it filled with passenger pigeons,” Portman said. “Now they are extinct after being the victim of overhunting and habitat destruction. The loss of this species is one of the greatest examples of what can happen if we are not committed to conserving our wildlife. We must learn from their example, and work to ensure that species such as the African elephant, the white rhino, and marine turtle do not join them.”

The full resolution can be read below.

Honoring Conservation on the Centennial of the Passenger Pigeon Extinction

WHEREAS, the Senate recognizes the importance of conserving natural habitats for bird populations and preserving our nation’s biodiversity;

WHEREAS, the death of Martha, the last Passenger Pigeon, on September 1, 1914 at the Cincinnati Zoo; and the extinction of the Passenger Pigeon helped to catalyze the American conservation movement of the early 20th century,  resulting in new laws and practices that prevented the extinction of many species; and

WHEREAS, the story of the Passenger Pigeon can serve as a cautionary tale and raise awareness of current issues related to human-caused extinction, explore connections between humans and the natural world, and inspire people to build sustainable relationships with other species; and
WHEREAS, the Passenger Pigeon Ectopistes migratorius was once the most abundant bird in North America with a population exceeding 3 billion and with flocks so large that they could darken the skies for hours and even days at a time; and

WHEREAS, due to unregulated market hunting in the 19th century and deforestation, the population plummeted towards extinction; and
WHEREAS, Project Passenger Pigeon, a consortium of over 150 institutions, scientists, conservationists, educators, artists, musicians, filmmakers and others throughout the nation is using the centenary of the species extinction tell the story of the Passenger Pigeon; and

WHEREAS, the story of the Passenger Pigeon -- once a symbol of never-ending natural abundance -- and its subsequent extinction is unique in the annals of American history.

Now, therefore, be it resolved, that the Senate commemorates the importance of this centenary, our natural heritage, the sustainability of our ecosystem and conservation of our nation’s wildlife.


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