Why Are Seagulls a Protected Species?
Seagulls came under endangered species protection after bird populations began dropping to dangerous levels. Seagulls are migratory birds, and they nest in areas that are sometimes environmentally fragile. Seagulls are legally protected from harm in North America and parts of Europe.
Seagulls are grouped in with several other migratory bird species when it comes to their status as an endangered wildlife population. Like other migratory birds, gulls do their nesting in coastal regions and near lakes. Breeding grounds for migratory birds are fragile, which means that bird populations suffer the consequences when breeding areas are destroyed.
The downside of seagulls being a protected bird species is that there they are growing in numbers and becoming a nuisance in some populated areas. Gulls feed on aquatic life, carrion and leftover scraps of food wherever they find it. When the birds do not find an adequate supply of food at sea or coastal areas they often seek food in nearby towns and cities.
Because it is against the law to kill gulls, culling their ranks requires special legal permission. In order to protect the health and safety of people, some government organizations are using non-lethal and lethal solutions to reduce the gull population when needed.
