They blinked and nearly lost the battle against humanity's short-sighted vision. We refused to make contact with those creatures we were destroying and when we realized how dire the situation was, it was nearly too late to save them. In 1963, there were only 417 breeding pairs left in the lower 48 states compared to an estimated 25,000 - 150,000 bald eagles before Europeans arrived on this continent. DDT was a major factor in their rapid decline. The toxicity of this pesticide biomagnified, meaning that as it went up the food chain it increased concentration. This resulted in the bald eagle becoming incredibly vulnerable to its harmful effects. DDT destroyed eagles' tissues and weakened their eggs. Ironically, the females, in following nesting instincts, crushed her offspring. When you combine this with the destruction of their natural habitat, hunters seeking glory, and numerous other environmental pollutants, it was inevitable that there would be species crisis. We are fortunate enough people had the vision to look beyond the immediate situation and force the country to ban DDT in 1972. Others worked to restore the rapidly depleting habitat and to ensure that those eagles who survived were not then shot for sport. Captive breeding programs were implemented and public awareness raised. It was due to these tireless efforts that in 1994 with an estimated population of 15,000, the bald eagle was reclassified from endangered to threatened.