Some examples of
species protected by the ESA in the Southeast (clockwise): Tar River
spinymussel, West Indian manatee, Puerto Rican parrot, Florida panther, piping
plover, red wolf, and Tennessee purple coneflower (USFWS photo credits).
The
Endangered Species Act (ESA) was enacted on December 28, 1973. In the past 40 years since, it has been one
of the world’s most influential laws on species conservation. The ESA
has been credited with saving 99 percent of listed species from extinction and
has contributed to countless species recovery efforts.
Today, the ESA protects 1,436 domestic species and 618 foreign species. Domestically,
flowering plants make up the bulk of the protected species (54%). The red wolf is one of 85 threatened and
endangered species listed in the U.S. The red wolf was actually one first
species to be listed. Initially, about
50 species were protected under
the Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966, which later became the
ESA. Many of these species
are imperiled for the same reasons: habitat loss and degradation. Increasing
population growth and development continue to threaten habitat for plants and
wildlife. Over the years, ESA had protected habitat and ecosystems resulting through
programs like habitat conservation plans, safe harbor agreements, and
conservation banks in the delisting of approximately 60 species and the
reclassification of ~35 species.
To
learn more about the ESA, you can visit USFWS Endangered
Species webpage or download the USFWS
ESA Factsheet.
No comments:
Post a Comment