The eastern hellbender will get more protection and the bald eagle and peregrine falcon will get less under proposed changes to New York's list of endangered and threatened species.
The Department of Environmental Conservation is proposing removal of 19 species from the state's endangered and threatened list.
Those species including the bald eagle and peregrine falcon show significant population growth, making them no longer threatened. There are now 390 pairs of breeding bald eagles in New York, compared to one pair when they were listed as endangered in 1973.
The agency is proposing to add 18 other species as threatened or endangered. They include several species of freshwater mussels, the common nighthawk and the eastern hellbender salamander.
Public comments on the list proposals are being taken until Dec. 24.
