cape point closing

[derf]

copied from REDDRUM TACKLE

Important Msg from Bob About Cape Point Closing

Cape Point Will Close @ 8 p.m. this evening due to the movement of the Piping Plover Hatchlings in a Northerly direction towards the Point. While Bob is upset with this he also understands that without the Biological Opinion, Sup. Mike Murray has no protection if something were to happen to the Chicks.. I am sure there will be more to come from Bob in the a.m.

PS Sup. Miuke Murray has promised to open the Point as soon as possible in the a.m. more to come....

JAM

[derf]

as posted by dagobx :

Cape Point Night Closure

Thanks to the movement of the newly hatched plover chicks, NPS is closing Cape Point to human activity between 8 PM and 8 AM. These closures will continue on a temporary basis until NPS can determine where the chicks will "set up camp".

Once the chicks settle down to a routine, options to allow a bypass around to the Point will be considered.

Looks like NPS is at the mercy of these chicks, at least for now. It's a wait-and-see game. But at least Mike Murray has not completely closed the Point - if it were anyone else, it would have been closed when the chicks hatched, not to be reopened until the little bugger fledged.

No one likes to see the Point closed, but in this case let's give the situation a little time.

NPS is to issue a press release soon. Will post it when available.

__________________
"Preserve & Protect....NOT PROHIBIT"

[derf]

press release :

National Park Service News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: DATE July 16, 2006
CONTACT: 252-473-2111 ext. 148

ACCESS ADJUSTMENT AT CAPE POINT

Outer Banks Group Superintendent Mike Murray announced that effective
Saturday, July 15, the National Park Service has initiated 8:00 p.m. to
8:00 a.m. night time closures of the Cape Point area to protect piping
plover chicks that moved toward the eastern side of their resource closure
on Saturday, July 15. Piping plovers are protected under the Endangered
Species Act and are federally listed as a Threatened species. Three chicks
hatched at a nest site on the south side of Cape Point on July 13.

At 5:30 p.m. on Saturday there were 98 vehicles on the beach at Cape Point
when NPS personnel including Superintendent Mike Murray began notifying
visitors that the area would be closed for the night at 8 p.m. Although
people were disappointed, there was good cooperation in departing by 8:00
p.m. and full compliance with the closure throughout the night. Access to
the Cape Point area re-opened earlier than expected by 7:15 a.m. on Sunday,
July 16. Park biologists were able to relocate 2 of the 3 chicks and the 2
adults foraging in an ephemeral pool just south of the nest site. Heavy
rain swept through the Cape Point area at about 8:00 p.m. on Saturday
evening. The third chick is presumed lost due to predation or exposure.

“We regret the short notice and inconvenience this action caused for
fishermen and ORV users of the Cape Point area,” said Superintendent Mike
Murray. “We are disappointed in the apparent loss of a chick, but greatly
appreciate the high level of cooperation from the public. At this point we
believe this action is a necessary precaution to protect the highly mobile
chicks at night when we are not able to effectively monitor the chicks’
movements. NPS staff will monitor the chicks during daylight hours and we
will re-evaluate the situation each day to determine if the night time
closure continues to be necessary.”

Day time access to Cape Point is open. The night time closures from 8 p.m.
to 8 a.m. are expected to continue until further notice. Nearby areas
remain open for 24-hour access. These include from Ramp 43 to 0.5 mile
south of Ramp 44 (where the night time closure begins). In the South Beach
area, from Salt Pond Road to 0.8 of a mile south of Ramp 45, approximately
1.1 miles of shoreline is open to ORV and pedestrian use, and includes the
Interdunal Road, Salt Pond Road and Ramp 45. From Ramp 49, ORV and
pedestrian access is open for approximately 1.9 miles to the north and for
2 miles south of Ramp 49. Pedestrian access is open to Ramp 55. Currently
there is no through ORV access between Ramp 45 and Ramp 49, or between Ramp
49 and Ramp 55.

Piping plover chicks are typically mobile within 24 hours after hatching.
Once mobile, the chicks will leave the nest and move extensively along the
beach, intertidal zone, and mudflats to feed. Plover chicks have been
documented to move hundreds of yards from the nest site during their first
week of life. Piping plover chicks fledge (are able to fly) 25 to 35 days
after hatching. Park biologists will monitor all areas involved and
provide for access when it is feasible. Closure areas can typically be
reopened after the chicks fledge.

Beach areas used by chicks, for foraging and resting, etc. are closed to
off-road vehicles (ORVs) since the typical behavior of piping plover chicks
increases their vulnerability to ORVs. Chicks frequently move between the
upper beach to moist sandy feeding areas such as mudflats and the
intertidal zone. These movements can place them in the path of vehicles on
the beach. Chicks sometimes stand motionless or crouch as vehicles pass by
making them difficult to see or they simply do not move quickly enough to
get out of the vehicle’s way. Tire ruts also cause problems as chicks
often stand in, walk, and run along tire ruts and have difficulty crossing
or climbing out of deep ruts.

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) prohibits harassing, harming, pursuing,
hunting, shooting, wounding, killing, trapping, capturing, or collecting
federally protected species. Penalties for violations of the ESA for
threatened species include a fine of up to $25,000, imprisonment for not
more than six months, or both.