Скачать или смотреть Isla Rasa: A Seabird Sanctuary

Isla Rasa is a tiny island in the Gulf of California, Mexico. It is the breeding site of 95% of the worlds population of Heermanns Gulls (Larus heermanni), and Elegant Terns (Sterna elegans) as well as a very large population of Royal Terns (Sterna maxima). These migratory seabirds come from thousands of miles away. The gulls migrate from the Pacific coast from southern Canada to southern Mexico and the terns migrate from the South American Pacific. During the summer, after the birds have settled into the nesting areas, the island is literally covered with birds engaged in the timeless rituals of reproduction.

In the middle of the 20th century, excessive egg collection drastically reduced the seabird population. Fortunately several Mexican and US conservationists helped to classify the island as a protected area in 1964. One very passionate Mexican scientist, Dr. Enriqueta Velarde, is now at the helm of Isla Rasa conservation. In continuously conducting research on the island, she has not only helped protect the seabirds and provide us with valuable science, but she has provided a training ground for students interested in conservation.