þ he Cajun Coast Visitors and Convention Bureau is celebrating the lowering of the American Bald Eagles on the endangered species list with its second annual Eagle Expo Feb. 8-10 in Morgan City.

This year s event includes a series of boat tours into Lake Verret, Bayou Black, the Gulf Intra-coastal Waterway via Bayou Boeuf and the Atchafalaya Basin. Each day, the participants will choose a boat tour through the selected waterways.

The Eagle Expo is a tribute to the return of the American Bald Eagle, which was recently lowered on the endangered species list. Thanks to laws banning the use of harmful pesticides such as DDT, the number of bald eagles returning to Louisiana has increased tremendously, said CCVCB Director Carrie Stansbury.

With the ban, lawmakers have increased the awareness of the importance of preserving the bald eagle species. Currently, there are more than 250 active nests in Louisiana, with a large concentration in Terrebonne and St. Mary parishes.

This event is made possible because the CCVCB partnered with the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program, American s Wetlands Campaign, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, Brownell Memorial Park and Carillon Tower and volunteer birding enthusiasts.

This event showcases American Bald Eagles along with numerous other species of birds and wildlife found in the Atchafalaya Basin and surrounding area. Some other wildlife and bird species that will be visible are Ospreys, Cormorants and Blue Herrons.

All the featured bird species and wildlife are native to Louisiana, said Assistant Director Leslie Smith.

Stansbury said hosting the Eagle Expo is another step toward marketing the Cajun Coast as an eco-tourism destination.

The CCVCB has been in existence for more than 20 years, according to the director. It was set up to bolster tourism in southeast Louisiana and St. Mary Parish. We wanted to provide more economic development though tourism in St. Mary Parish, she said.

Local and out-of-state tourists sold out the expo last year, making it a success. Because of the influx of tourists in search of a brief glimpse of the majestic birds Louisiana has to offer, the CCVCB will accommodate nearly 100 participants for this year s boat tours.

A welcoming reception for all boat tours participants is set for Thursday, Feb. 8, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. On, Friday morning boat tours begin at 9 a.m., and afternoon boat tours begin at 2 p.m. On Saturday, the boat tours begin at 2 p.m.

Other events include an evening social and dinner Friday at 6 p.m. at the Louisiana State Museum in Patterson, which is sponsored by the America s Wetlands Campaign. On Saturday, seminars start at 8 a.m. at Brownell Memorial Park, a designated birding sanctuary.

The registration fee is $15 per person, and the deadline for registering is Feb. 6.

For a complete event schedule and registration form, visit the Eagle Expo Web site at www.eagles.btnep.org or contact the Cajun Coast Visitors and Convention Bureau at (985) 395-4905.

þ he Cajun Coast Visitors and Convention Bureau is celebrating the lowering of the American Bald Eagles on the endangered species list with its second annual Eagle Expo Feb. 8-10 in Morgan City.