"MIAMI — Though still depleted in its historic home in the Everglades, the wood stork has expanded its range and numbers in the nearly 30 years since it was declared at risk of extinction."

"The rebound has been dramatic enough that federal wildlife managers said Tuesday that they intend to reduce the bird's endangered species status to the less severe "threatened" - and even that tag might soon disappear.

"If the trends continue, the wood stork could soon reach its recovery target and no longer require the protections of the Endangered Species Act," said Dan Ashe, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service."

Curtis Morgan reports for the Miami Herald December 18, 2012. [2]