The Ashy Storm-petrel -- a smoky gray seabird about the size of a swallow -- is struggling for its existence off the coast of California. And if things continue the way they are, this remarkable species may disappear from the Earth in our lifetime. It shouldn't be this way. For a bird that lives almost entirely over our waters, whose problems are almost entirely of our making, we should take some responsibility for its survival, and its ultimate recovery. Right now, one of the biggest threats to the Ashy Storm-petrel is occurring on the Farallon Islands off San Francisco. As much as this threat puts the survival of the species at risk, it also provides us with a unique opportunity to ensure this bird's future in California's natural landscape ...

If you've heard about this issue at all, it has been about the proposed use of a rodenticide to rid the Farallones of the mice. While this rodenticide has been successfully used in other places for this purpose, its potential impacts on other wildlife has prompted many to demand that this option be removed from consideration. While these issues are all important, it is vital that the ultimate decision about what to do on the Farallones is based on a thorough analysis of the potential impacts on species other than the mice. We need to do what's right for the birds and wildlife on the Farallones, not what sounds good in a press release.