Pelican protector: Queen Bess Island

Thousands of brown pelicans flock to Queen Bess Island about three miles from the Grand Isle, La., coast to nest. The state wildlife officials recently has designated it a state wildlife refuge. Queen Bess Island offers physical protection for the birds by keeping them from mainland predators. Without designation it's been difficult to enforce legal protections against boaters who get too close during nesting season, according to Todd Baker, a Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries coastal resource manager. With the official designation, rules can be created to keep boaters at a safe distance during nesting season. The plan is for those rules to become effective by spring 2020 nesting season. The designation also underscores the island's role in bringing back the brown pelican, Louisiana's state bird, which was nearly wiped out by agricultural pesticides from Mississippi River dumps in the 1950s. (Source: NOLA.com 11/27/19) https://www.nola.com/news/article_8b4e66d0-1057-11ea-8e5e-ff8f916ed78c.html