06/18/2026
The next member of our Critter Krewe is extra special — meet Polly the Brown Pelican! As the State Bird of Louisiana, pelicans can be found across our coast in rookeries (colonies), especially on barrier islands. For example, Queen Bess Island, a 37-acre island near Grand Isle, is crucial to the prosperity of brown pelicans within the state, boasting a waterbird colony that produces more than 4,400 nests each year and provides 15 to 20% of the state’s nesting activity. But this wasn’t always the case. In 1963, the brown pelican population went virtually extinct in Louisiana due to the use of toxic pesticides like DDT, among other issues such as overfishing and plume hunting. Thanks to greater restrictions and the hard work of conservationists, the brown pelican population has returned to the state with great success and is no longer considered an endangered species.
BTNEP is proud to have helped with the restoration of Queen Bess Island, where we assisted in multiple plantings and provided thousands of native plants for the site. BTNEP’s Native Plant Nursery specializes in growing out native woody species, providing thousands of plants every year for various restoration projects along our coast. Artwork: That's So Kassie
