PEI

P.E.I.'s piping plover population appears to be up

A preliminary analysis of surveys for piping plovers on P.E.I. done in June shows the population has increased this year.

2016 is an international census year for piping plovers

The population of piping plovers on the Island could be up more than 10 per cent this year. (Martin Paquet/Island Nature Trust)

A preliminary analysis of surveys for piping plovers on P.E.I. done in June shows the population has increased this year.

The Island Nature Trust believes there are about 60 piping plovers on P.E.I., a significant increase over the 54 counted in 2015.

Piping plovers build their nests by scraping a depression on the beach between the dunes and the high tide mark, sometimes lining them with shards of shell. (Island Nature Trust)

The piping plover has been designated as endangered or at risk of extinction by the Committee on the Status of Wildlife in Canada since 1985.

The surveys are done annually, but 2016 is an international census year, which happens every five years.

The Island Nature Trust surveys all historic nesting sites in the province, about 70, for international census years.

Island Nature Trust was assisted this year by staff from P.E.I. National Park, P.E.I. Forests, Fish and Wildlife, and Five Star Shellfish with this year's survey, in addition to its own volunteers.