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State Bird Making a Comeback
A top expert in animal sciences says the stabilization of the prairie chicken population in Southern Illinois has been a success. Professor Ken Paige, head of the animal biology department at the University of Illinois, says inbreeding led to fertility problems -- not unlike the advice not to marry your cousin.

The prairie chicken, part of the grouse family, numbered in the millions before Illinois was fully settled. The Southern Illinois population was threatened with extinction until about 10 years ago, when prairie chickens from other states were brought in to fortify the population.

Paige says while such a thing may not matter much to you, it's one part of the ecosystem - which, Paige says, keeps our air and water clean and also provides resources for medicines and other products.

Paige adds it's unlikely the population -- now perhaps 250 -- has room for much more growth, given the amount of Illinois acreage dedicated to crops.

(Illinois Radio Network)
12 05 09 by Newsroom
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