The Legacy and Future of the Endangered Species Act

Disclaimer: Like any good legislation, The Endangered Species Act is a dynamic law with the intended beneficiaries constantly changing. The data for this blog was obtained directly from the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service at time of writing and is subject to change.

I’m wrapping up Endangered Species Month at The Whisker Chronicles with some editorial comments. Shortly after starting The Whisker Chronicles, I made a decision that I would no longer explain to readers why they should care about animals or the environment. Generally, if you are reading my blog or any other conservation focused material, you do not require persuasion. However, the main reason I adopted this policy is simple-if the species exists, by birthright it deserves protection. The anthropocentric concept that all other life forms must yield to the insatiable demands of humans is flawed at best, selfish at worst. How lazy are we, in the developed world, if we think that destruction is the only way to reach the best outcome for all involved? I reject that concept and will not have the focus of my writing to be that of persuading anyone as to the direct human benefits received from plant and animal life. I will mention the vicarious benefits when relevant, and only in context of an entire ecosystem within which humans are one of many residents. There is another exception as well. When the ravages of the developed world adversely affect humans in the undeveloped world, I will most assuredly elaborate on why we should care.

The Endangered Species Act has endured and survived many anthropocentric challengers over the past four decades. No doubt, it will face and endure many more. I challenge all who read this to be an outspoken supporter and keep an eye out for political news of threats from those who would have this highly successful and effective legislation dismembered and gutted. Democracy requires the voice of the people to remain loud and strong, leaving no question about what we wish to protect and preserve. You may determine how to contact your U.S. House representative here http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/ and your U.S. Senate representative here http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm.

The Endangered Species Act has its naysayers, but those are mostly people with financial interests who want to develop areas where the lands, and therefore the plant and animal residents, are protected. Those people have not read the success stories of the Endangered Species Act because they do not care or they cannot comprehend the achievement of their goals without destruction of life. So here is a summary of the depth and breadth of the Endangered Species Act, just in case some of those people stumble upon my blog. (Be sure to scroll all the way down and watch the U.S. Fish and Wildlife video as well.)

Total Number of Plant and Animal Species Currently Listed Under the Endangered Species Act:

Number of Threatened/Endangered Wildlife in the U.S. and Foreign Species 1335 Number of Threatened/Endangered Plants in the U.S. and Foreign Species 875 Threatened/Endangered Species in Other Countries 626

The First Species Listed as Endangered Were:

Mammals

Indiana Bat – Myotis sodalis

Delmarva Peninsula Fox Squirrel – Sciurus niger cinereus

Timber Wolf – Canis lupus lycaon

Red Wolf – Canis niger

San Joaquin Kit Fox – Vulpes macrotis mutica

Grizzly Bear – Ursus horribilis

Black-footed Ferret – Mustela nigripes

Florida Panther – Felis concolor coryi

Caribbean Monk Seal – Monachus tropicalis

Guadalupe Fur Seal – Arctocephalus philippi townsendi

Florida Manatee or Florida Sea Cow – Trichechus manatus latirostris

Key Deer – Odocoileus virginianus clavium

Columbian White-tailed Deer – Odocoileus virginianus leucurus

Sonoran Pronghorn – Antilocapra americana sonoriensis

Birds

Hawaiian Dark-Rumped Petrel – Pterodroma phaeopygia sandwichensis

Hawaiian Dark-rumped Petrel – Pterodroma phaeopygia sandwichensis

Hawaiian Goose (Nene) – Branta sandvicensis

Aleutian Canada Goose – Branta canadensis leucopareia

Tule White-Fronted Goose – Anser albifrons gambelli

Laysan Duck – Anas laysanensis

Hawaiian Duck (or Koloa) – Anas wyvilliana

Mexican Duck – Anas diazi

California Condor – Gymnogyps californianus

Florida Everglade Kite (Florida Snail Kite) – Rostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus

Hawaiian Hawk (or Ii) – Buteo solitarius

Southern Bald Eagle – Haliaeetus t. leucocephalus

Attwater’s Greater Prairie-Chicken – Tympanuchus cupido attwateri

Masked Bobwhite – Colinus virginianus ridgwayi

Whooping Crane – Grus americana

Yuma Clapper Rail – Rallus longirostris yumanensis

Hawaiian Common Gallinule – Gallinula chloropus sandvicensis

Eskimo Curlew – Numenius borealis

Puerto Rican Parrot – Amazona vittata

American Ivory-billed Woodpecker – Campephilus p. principalis

Hawaiian Crow ( or Alala) – Corvus hawaiiensis

Small Kauai Thrush (Puaiohi) – Phaeornia pulmeri

Nihoa Millerbird – Acrocephalus kingi

Kauai Oo (or Oo Aa) – Moho braccatus

Crested Honeycreeper (or Akohekohe) – Palmeria dolei

Akiapolaau – Hemignathus wilsoni

Kauai Akialoa – Hemignathus procerus

Kauai Nukupuu – Hemignathus lucidus hanapepe

Laysan Finchbill (Laysan Finch) – Psittirostra c. cantans

Nihoa Finchbill (Nihoa Finch) – Psittirostra cantans ultima

Ou – Psittirostra psittacea

Palila – Psittirostra bailleui

Maui Parrotbill – Pseudonestor xanthophyrys

Bachman’s Warbler – Vermivora bachmanii

Kirtland’s Warbler – Dendroica kirtlandii

Dusky Seaside Sparrow – Ammospiza nigrescens

Cape Sable Sparrow – Ammospiza mirabilis

Reptiles and Amphibians:

American Alligator – Alligator mississippiensis

Blunt-nosed Leopard Lizard – Crotaphytus wislizenii silus

San Francisco Garter Snake – Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia

Santa Cruz Long-toed Salamander – Ambystoma macrodactylum croceum

Texas Blind Salamander – Typhlomolge rathbuni

Black Toad, Inyo County Toad – Bufo exsul

Fishes:

Shortnose sturgeon – Acipenser brevirostrum

Longjaw Cisco – Coregonus alpenae

Paiute Cutthroat Trout – Salmo clarki seleniris

Greenback Cuttthroat Trout – Salmo clarki stomias

Montana Westslope Cutthroat Trout – Salmo clarki

Gila Trout – Oncorhynchus gilae

Arizona (Apache) Trout – Oncorhynchus apache

Desert Dace – Eremichthys acros

Humpback Chub – Gila cypha

Little Colorado Spinedace – Lepidomeda vittata

Moapa Dace – Moapa coriacea

Colorado River Squawfish – Ptychocheilus lucius

Cui-ui – Chasmistes cujus

Devils Hole Pupfish – Cyprinodon diabolis

Commanche Springs Pupfish – Cyprinodon elegan

Owens River Pupfish – Cyprinodon radiosus

Pahrump Killifish – Empetrichythys latos

Big Bend Gambusia – Gambusia gaigei

Clear Creek Gambusia – Gambusia heterochir

Gila Topminnow – Poeciliopsis occidentalis

Maryland Darter – Etheostoma sellare

Blue Pike – Stizostedion vitreum glaucum

Plant and Animal Species Currently Proposed for Listing (53):

Plant and Animal Species that are Candidates for Listing (145):

Plant and Animal Species That Have Been Delisted and Why:

Plant and Animal Species That Have Been Reclassified:

The United States Fish and Wildlife has produced a short video summary of the success of the Endangered Species Act, legislation that I personally hope will continue to extend its embrace to a multitude of plant and animals species for decades to come.