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Each of the species below was saved from near extinction by the Endangered Species Act. Some have recovered so successfully that they have been removed from the endangered species list. However most of the species below have many more challenges to overcome before they fully recover. Click on the name of the species to learn more!
Aleutian Canada Goose - Recovery of the Aleutian Canada goose is a remarkable story of cooperative efforts under the Endangered Species Act. Recovery succeeded only with cooperation of state and federal wildlife agencies, international partners, conservation groups, and private landowners.
American Alligator - More than one million American alligators live in the freshwater swamps, marshes, ponds, and rivers of the southeastern United States. The success of the population is a testament to the resilience of the species, which was near extinction just 25 years ago. There is little question that the Endangered Species Act was paramount in the alligator s recovery.
Bald Eagle - Our national symbol, the bald eagle, is making a spectacular comeback from near-extinction thanks to the Endangered Species Act.
Black-footed Ferret - Black-footed ferrets, once thought to be extinct, are slowly resurging in the wild. This nocturnal carnivore has inhabited the mid-continent grasslands of North America for the past 30,000 years. The black-footed ferret remains a highly endangered species that would likely be extinct without the Endangered Species Act.
California Condor - The California condor is North America s largest terrestrial bird, weighing up to 22 pounds with a wingspan of nine and a half feet. It can reach altitudes of 15,000 feet and may fly 140 miles a day in search of the carrion on which it feeds. Endangered Species Act protections have helped these magnificent birds to recover from near extinction.
Chinook Salmon - Chinook salmon are a symbol of the Pacific Northwest. Like most Pacific salmon, many populations of Puget Sound Chinook remain unhealthy. However, recent efforts on the Skagit River have helped reduce the harmful impacts caused by the operation of Seattle City Light hydroelectric dams in Washington state's second largest salmon producing river.
Desert Tortoise - With a host of dangers threatening the desert, even an ancient species can be pushed toward extinction.
Devils Hole Pupfish - The Devils Hole pupfish was one of the first species protected under the Endangered Species Act. The tiny fish was in danger of extinction when development threatened the water source for the cave pool in Devils Hole, the pupfish s only natural home.
Florida Manatee - Gentle and leisurely animals, manatees live in shallow, slowmoving rivers, estuaries, saltwater bays, canals, and coastal areas from Texas through Florida and as far north as Virginia. Endangered Species Act protections have allowed southern waters to become home to an increasing number of manatees.
Florida Panther - The Florida panther, one of 30 subspecies of cougar, is the most endangered of all of North America s cats, with less than 100 individuals believed to remain in the wild. The panther most certainly would not exist today if not for the Endangered Species Act.
Freshwater Mussels - Freshwater mussels were once remarkably abundant, but over the last hundred years, they have become among the most endangered of all North American species. About 12 percent of mussel species are extinct and 23 percent are threatened or endangered. The Endangered Species Act has slowed the decimation of these species, and recovery efforts have proven enormously successful in replenishing mussels. In the Southeast, which contains more than 95 percent of all federally listed mussels, active conservation initiatives have had some impressive success.
Gray Bat - Historically, 2.25 million gray bats lived in limestone caves throughout the southern and Midwestern United States. Aware that gray bats were imperiled by habitat disturbance and faced with extinction, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) used Endangered Species Act protections to arrest the bat s decline.
Gray Wolf of the Great Lakes - Approximately 3,100 gray wolves are living in the Great Lake states of Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, with the majority occupying forest and remote areas of the region. Gray wolves were once one of the reigning mammals in North America, but their population has been decimated. With Endangered Species Act protections, recovery efforts havestarted to make a difference.
Green Sea Turtle - Green sea turtles are among the oldest reptiles on earth; the turtle s ancestors began gracing the seas 150 million years ago. The periphery of the green sea turtle s range can extend as far north as New York, though it is found mainly in tropical areas of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Several factors contributed to the species decline, and the Endangered Species Act has been an important tool to ensure that green sea turtles survive for millions more years.
Grizzly Bear - Experts agree that the grizzly bear would have disappeared in the lower 48 states but for protections afforded in 1975 by the Endangered Species Act.
Karner Blue Butterfly - The Karner blue butterfly lives in pine barrens of the upper Midwest and Northeast. Efforts under the Endangered Species Act to restore butterfly habitat may spark its recovery.
Key Deer - Competition between man and deer for limited land on Big Pine Key, Florida is the story of the Key deer and its decline. The slow recovery of the species in the midst of scarce land demonstrates the cooperative nature of the Endangered Species Act.
Lynx in the Southern Rockies - Although Canada lynx historically ranged across the Southern Rockies, sustained trapping and habitat degradation and loss reduced lynx in the region to very small numbers and possibly extirpated them altogether. Colorado initiated a release effort in 1999 that has, so far, enjoyed significant success. Although recovery of lynx in the region is still uncertain, the birth of wild lynx kittens in the spring of 2003 marks a key milestone in this effort.
Masked Bobwhite Quail - One of Arizona s most famous birds, the masked bobwhite quail was saved from extinction by the Endangered Species Act.
Mauna Kea Silversword - The Mauna Kea silversword, a plant subspecies that grows on the high slopes of Hawaii s Mauna Kea volcano, is a dramatic plant covered in foot long dagger-like leaves and silvery hairs that grow to form a rosette two feet in diameter. Today, scarcely four dozen of the plants survive, but management efforts following the plant s endangered listing are helping the species to recover.
Peregrine Falcon - Peregrine falcons were listed as endangeredin 1970 and removed fromthe list in August 1999. Though considered fully recovered, peregrine falcons will continue to be monitored under the Endangered Species Act through 2013.
Pima Pineapple Cactus - The Pima pineapple cactus was once abundant throughout its small range in the lower Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona. Over time, the growth of several cities and surrounding communities endangered the cactus and its habitat. The Endangered Species Act saved the Pima pineapple cactus from extinction, and a conservation plan is in the works to protect the remaining habitat for the cactus.
Pine Hill Plants - T he Pine Hill plant community is a collection of native plants, including eight rare species, which have adapted to unusual soil and climate conditions in a small area in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Approximately 740 distinct plant species have been recorded in the Pine Hill area, and five Pine Hill plant species are protected under the Endangered Species Act.
Piping Plover - Named for its melodic call, the piping plover, like many other shorebirds, is threatened by habitat loss and human disturbance. The Endangered Species Act has provided for intensive management of important nesting areas reversing the decline of the Great Lake and Atlantic populations. The Great Plains population is declining, however.
Red-cockaded Woodpecker - Reduced to only one percent of its former range, the red-cockaded woodpecker has become as rare as its beleaguered habitat. However, the Endangered Species Act is providing hope for the restoration of an important ecosystem and the woodpecker itself.
Robbins Cinquefoil - The Robbins' cinquefoil, an alpine plant species of the rose family, is found only at two locations on the cold slopes of the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The plant grows in some of the harshest conditions found anywhere in New England. Though the plant can withstand freezing temperatures and high winds, it required Endangered Species Act protections to escape extinction.
Seabeach Amaranth - For many plants, Endangered Species Act listing can mean the difference between slipping unnoticed into extinction and receiving the attention necessary to spur conservation efforts. Such is the case with the seabeach amaranth, which is now found in relatively secure numbers only in North Carolina.
Shortnose Sturgeon - Before the dinosaurs existed, the shortnose sturgeon filled rivers, estuaries, and coastal waters. The species continues to survive along the east coast of North America from New Brunswick, Canada to Florida. Over time, human activities have almost wiped out the shortnose sturgeon entirely, but Endangered Species Act protections are helping to recover this resilient species.
Utah Prairie Dog - The Utah prairie dog, located in southwestern Utah, exists today largely because of protection provided by the Endangered Species Act.
Whooping Crane - The whooping crane has been experiencing a difficult but successful rebound from the brink of extinction. Impressive efforts by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and conservation groups in recent decades have led to significant recovery for the whooping crane, the tallest bird species in North America. |
