Long Island's Vanished Fauna

The onset of European exploration and settlement in the seventeenth century inaugurated a process of environmental transformation that continues today. These changes included the extirpation of several animal species-- mammals, birds, and reptiles-- once a common part of Long Island’s ecosystem. Richard Welch explores the natural history of these animals and the causes of their decline and disappearance. The consideration of native fauna whose presence is currently uncertain and measures taken for their conservation will be discussed.