The recovery of peregrine falcon populations from near-extinction is one of the great conservation successes of the 20th century, demonstrating what coordinated action can achieve for wildlife welfare.
The peregrine falcon story demonstrates the compounding welfare harms caused by environmental contamination. DDT did not kill peregrines directly — instead, it disrupted reproduction so severely that populations collapsed without individual death events. Survivors experienced repeated reproductive failure as their eggs collapsed beneath them, and nestlings that did hatch suffered developmental abnormalities. The recovery required decades of intensive intervention: captive breeding, hack-box releases, nest protection, and continuing monitoring. Today, urban peregrines face new welfare challenges including collisions with glass buildings, rat poison exposure through prey, and nest disturbance. Conservation success requires sustained vigilance rather than one-time intervention.