Considering all the celebration of the bald eagle’s recovery, it’s hard to believe that a generation ago they were hunted and killed like vermin.

The recent removal of the bald eagle from the endangered-species list should be a cautionary tale, reminding us how reckless we were to let our national bird decline to the point where its very survival looked doubtful. But we’re also entitled to breathe a collective sigh of relief. The worst danger appears to be over, and news reports suggest that saving the eagle was fairly straightforward, a matter of getting the science right and then eliminating harmful substances— especially DDT—from the bird’s habitat, with cheering on the sidelines by all.

The recent removal of the bald eagle from the endangered-species list should be a cautionary tale, reminding us how reckless we were to let our national bird decline to the point where its very survival looked doubtful. But we’re also entitled to breathe a collective sigh of relief. The worst danger appears to be over, and news reports suggest that saving the eagle was fairly straightforward, a matter of getting the science right and then eliminating harmful substances— especially DDT—from the bird’s habitat, with cheering on the sidelines by all.

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