California moves 246 endangered abalone; population rises from 54 to 302
In 2023, researchers relocated 246 black abalone to a protected coastal site to encourage population growth. After three years, surveys recorded an increase in individuals from 54 to 302, showing signs of recovery. Juvenile abalone were also found, which raises hopes for future reproduction. This project involved collaboration among several scientific organizations and demonstrated the…
In a conservation effort to help the endangered black abalone species, 246 individuals were relocated from a recovering population on Santa Cruz Island to the Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve in California in 2023. Over the subsequent three years, the population grew from 54 to 302 individuals, with density in high-quality habitat reaching one abalone per square metre.
The relocation was part of a larger initiative to restore the species, which suffered severe population declines due to a disease known as withering syndrome. While the study published in Frontiers in Conservation Science showed promising results, researchers emphasized the need for continued monitoring to determine if the population can sustain itself through natural reproduction.
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