The Guam Rail is endemic to Guam and it is now extinct in the wild. A captive-bred population is been introduced to Rota in the south Northern Mariana Islands. It formerly occurred in most habitats on Guam, including forest, secondary grassland, mown grass, along roads and under telephone lines. It prefers scrub, mixed woodland and scrub, and fern thickets. It is absent from interior of mature forest and wetland habitats. In past, this rail was widely distributed and abundant, despite being hunted by local people with dogs and snares, and the presence of introduced predators such as feral pigs and cats. Before 1960s population was estimated as 10,000s. It declined rapidly during 1970s, along with most other indigenous birds, as a result of the spread throughout the island of the introduced brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis). By 1981, the population had declined to 2000 birds, and by 1983, to less than 100. The species was declared “extinct in the wild” in 1987. In 1983, a captive breeding program was set up, and about 180 breeding birds are located on Guam, and in 16, in zoos in the United States. The captive breeding has been very successful with the founding birds showing surprisingly good genetic diversity. These results helped to establish a self-sustaining experimental population on the snake-free island of Rota in the south Northern Mariana Islands. Actions are also being taken to extirpate brown tree snake from Guam, so as to permit reintroduction there; birds released on Rota recently bred for first time (reported 1996), and further introductions planned in order to bolster population on Rota. It is legislation such as FESA (Federal Endangered Species Act) and its funding that keep the Guam Rail from extinction. Congress, on Monday, will be considering, S. 5653, which will further gut FESA's protections.