(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Piping plover Imani could soon be a father. The Chicago Park District announced that a nest and an egg have been spotted at the Montrose Beach Dunes.
The egg is the result of Imani’s bond with Searocket. The pair’s success is the result of recent conservation efforts to reach 50 pairs of plovers outside Michigan.
Imani hatched at Montrose in 2021, and Searocket was a captive-raised chick that was released at Montrose last summer.
“This grand experiment in trying to recover the iconic symbol of the Great Lakes shoreline has come full circle with the return of both wild hatched and captive reared young, “said Brad Semel, Illinois Department of Natural Resources Endangered Species Recovery Specialist, in a released statement.
A new chick is expected within a month.
The Chicago Park District and its partners will be monitoring the fenced area near the nest to deter predators.
Visitors are asked to respect the closed boundaries of the protected area and to keep dogs on leashes, as well as taking trash with them when they leave.
Piping plover chicks were fledged for the first time at Montrose Beach in 2019, 60 years after they disappeared from Illinois beaches.
“The Chicago Park District is excited about the possibility of new hatchlings at the newly named Monty and Rose Wildlife Habitat,” said Matthew Freer, Chicago Park District Assistant Director of Landscape, Natural Resources and Cultural Resources, in a released statement.
“The arrival of this endangered species has birthed a new generation of advocates for the conservation of urban natural settings, including beaches, that are home to many migrating shorebirds. These tiny birds have had a massive impact on policies and practices that aim to improve their species’ survival.”
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