More than a decade ago, about 15 low-lying islands had Louisiana's national bird flock nesting. But today, only about six islands in southeastern Louisiana are sites for brown pelican nesting, and the rest have disappeared underwater.
Raccoon Island, a barrier island off the coast of Louisiana, is one of the few remaining breeding refuges for the iconic brown pelican.
The vanishing islands threaten the most famous conservation achievement of the last century, and decades-long efforts to restore pelicans from the edge of pesticide threats to more than enough to fill the number of these coastal islands have also led to the disappearance of saltwater swamps in southern Louisiana faster than anywhere else in the country.
Scientists estimate that Louisiana loses a football field-sized land every 60 to 90 minutes.