09/05/2025
Michigan beaches are for plovers! 🌊❤️
When we swim, we share the shores with Michigan's wildlife, such as the Great Lakes piping plover. Unfortunately, sharing isn't always easy. This little shorebird suffers from habitat loss and predation and is listed as an endangered species.
For more than 20 years, the Detroit Zoological Society, Great Lakes Piping Plover Recovery Program and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have been working hard to protect this plover. Every summer, our team rescues abandoned eggs, incubates and raises chicks and releases them into the wild to support the species' recovery.
🔔 Good news alert: Great Lakes piping plover numbers are on the rise. A record-breaking 88 breeding pairs and 101 nests were recorded this year — the highest numbers since the species was listed as endangered in Michigan. Additionally, 36 captive-reared chicks were released into the wild, thanks to our animal care experts.
Pip, pip, hooray! These wins are a powerful reminder of what conservation can achieve.
