CLEVELAND — A striking photo that captures a bald eagle and its eaglet taken by Lyndhurst resident Jennifer Beck has been chosen as the image for the 13th annual Ohio Wildlife Legacy Stamp. Profits from the stamp go toward Ohio’s Wildlife Diversity Fund, which helps support habitat restoration, wildlife and habitat research, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
Beck submitted her winning eagle photo for the Ohio Wildlife Legacy Stamp Photo Contest. It was chosen based on originality, technical excellence, composition and overall impact.
The bald eagle is one of Ohio's most recognizable success stories in endangered species recovery. From just four breeding pairs in 1979 to now hundreds of nests, with bald eagles found in each of Ohio’s 88 counties, America’s national symbol once on the verge of extinction is now thriving. So much so that it was removed from the federal list of threatening and endangered species in 2007, and from Ohio’s in 2012.
A nesting survey in 2021 revealed there are an estimated 806 bald eagle nests in Ohio. This is an estimated increase of 14% from the 707 bald eagle nests documented through 2020 citizen science survey.
ODNR says bald eagle nesting success was at an estimated rate of 82% in the spring of 2021, and the number of young per nest was 1.6, well above the number of 1 per nest needed to sustain the population.
The state said $14 from every $15 Ohio Wildlife Legacy Stamp sold will go to the Wildlife Diversity Fund. The fund helps restore and conserve endangered and threatened species such as lake sturgeon, Karner blue butterfly, Indiana bat and the eastern hellbender.
Ohioans interested in seeing their photograph on the Ohio Wildlife Legacy Stamp can enter the contest in August, with the winner being featured on the 2023 Legacy Stamp.
The stamp can be purchased at all location in Ohio that sells hunting and fishing licenses, the HuntFish OH app or online here.
RELATED:Eagle population soars across Ohio
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