Many locals are unaware that Mission Bay is home to several nesting preserves for California Least Terns , an endangered species of migratory seabird that are essential to the natural biodiversity of California . The little birds , being approximately 9 inches in length , are also local San Diegans- over 60 % of the Least Tern nesting population can be found in San Diego County ! The population was one of the first on the Endangered Species list , due to habitat loss from coastal development . In San Diego , Mariner ’ s Point in Mission Bay is one of the Least Tern ’ s most important nesting regions and has been the site of SDG & E employee volunteer participation since 2012 . The California Least Tern eggs laid in our shores and dunes are camouflaged in the sand . To protect them , volunteers are needed to weed vegetation on their nesting preserves , so they have a good chance at successfully producing new , young , Terns .
Each year , SDG & E recruits roughly 100 employees and their families to spend a morning removing vegetation and preparing the area for the Least Terns to arrive for nesting in the spring . SDG & E ’ s impact has helped to remove tens of thousands of pounds of vegetation from Mariner ’ s Point and yielded over 2,200 volunteered hours . Volunteers restore coastal dune habitat by removing invasive plants , replanting native plants , and conducting other land management activities ( putting out protective structures for chicks , mending fences , etc .) And this hard work is paying off ! This site has been the most productive Least Tern nesting site in Mission Bay , with at least 430 fledglings hatched in the last 10 years . Fledglings are juvenile birds who have reached a certain level of maturity , and the tracking of these fledglings helps to identify an increase in population that was once on the verge of collapse and extinction .
San Diego is the most biodiverse county in the country , with more plant and animal species present here than anywhere else . To protect this regional biodiversity , many organizations - including San Diego Audubon Society - have implemented conservation plans to preserve and restore sensitive habitats . These organizations rely on dedicated volunteers to accomplish their goals .
Join SDG & E ’ s commitment to honor World Wildlife Day and visit www . sandiegoaudubon . org to find more local volunteering opportunities with the San Diego Audubon Society .
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