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Piping plovers make comeback in the Great Lakes

Courtesy U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Spring is in the air.

The sun is shining, the flowers are blooming, and the beaches of the Great Lakes are calling.

Well, maybe not for us humans yet.

The piping plover, on the other hand, will be packing its bags and headed for the lakeshore in the next couple of weeks.

The endangered species of shorebird was once almost extinct--with just 12 pairs left in the Great Lakes.

But thanks to conservation efforts, scientists are starting to see a rebound in the population.

Current State's Mark Bashore talks with Vince Cavalieri, a wildlife biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  He coordinates the piping plover recovery program in the Great Lakes.

This segment is supported by Michigan State University's Knight Center for Environmental Journalism. More news about the Great Lakes environment can be found at GreatLakesEcho.org and on Current State every Tuesday as part of our partnership.

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