The bald eagle was on the verge of taking flight from the Garden State. By 1982, their numbers had dwindled down to one nesting pair that was unable to successfully hatch an egg for six years in a row.

Now their numbers have risen to 250 nesting pairs, according to the NJ Bald Eagle Project Report released last Friday by the state’s Department of Environmental Protection in partnership with the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey. Another 17 duos were also spotted, but without egg-filled nests, meaning the survey spotted 267 bald eagle pairs in total statewide. This tally includes 29 new eagle pairs discovered in 2022.

Organizers said the rebound is due to regulations such as The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act of 1940 and the 1972 ban on the pesticide DDT, as well as recent conservation efforts through monitoring and public outreach.

Click "listen" in the player to hear more details, and visit Gothamist for the print story.