Wildlife officials are reporting a 25 percent increase in the lesser prairie chicken population. This is the second year the threatened animal’s numbers have shown signs of improvement.
The small bird makes its home in grasslands across the west, often close to oil and gas fields in states such as New Mexico, Texas and Colorado.
Bill Van Pelt is a spokesman with the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. He said officials are crediting multiple factors including industry conservation efforts and a relative abundance of rain.
"The 11 million acres under conservation measures by these companies has definitely contributed to the uptick in the population," said Van Pelt. "But the rain, mother nature, is probably the biggest factor."
He said recent estimates show there are now about 29,000 birds in the wild.
