The Endangered Species Act
Celebrating 50 Years of America’s Landmark Environmental Legislation
Introduction
Over the past 50 years, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) has provided vital protection for plants and wildlife considered to be threatened with extinction as a result of human activity in the United States. Signed into law by President Nixon in 1973, the ESA passed the House of Representatives (390 to 12) and Senate (92 to 0) as keystone legislation to protect the nation’s natural heritage.
The three pillars of the ESA include listing and protecting species, designating critical habitat to be conserved for protected species, and implementing recovery plans to mitigate ongoing threats to those species. There is a strict process for adding new species to the list, with priority given to those facing the greatest magnitude and immediacy of threats. A species is delisted when conservation efforts succeed in restoring sustainable populations.
Read on to learn about examples of species that were listed under the Endangered Species Act and how NatureServe Network data are used to inform management decisions that conserve endangered species for future generations.
Rescued From Extinction
Without the Endangered Species Act, many iconic animals and plants would likely have disappeared from our nation's natural landscape. Below are just a few examples of species that benefitted from being on the endangered species list.
The People Behind the ESA
Two federal agencies administer the Endangered Species Act (ESA): the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service. Other federal agencies, such as the Forest Service and the Department of Defense, play an important role in conserving listed species on the land they manage. In addition to federal agencies, there are other important stakeholders supporting ESA administration, including state agencies, non-governmental organizations, and private landowners.
As the authoritative source for biodiversity data throughout North America, NatureServe has provided unbiased scientific information about which species face extinction since the ESA was signed into law. NatureServe's assessments rank species on a five-point scale, from Critically Imperiled (G1) to Secure (G5). This information is critical to prioritizing conservation efforts.
Click the "i" on each photo to learn about various groups that support the Endangered Species Act.
Knowing is Half the Battle
To be able to list and effectively protect threatened and endangered species, we need to know where they occur. NatureServe works with a network of natural heritage programs to obtain, analyze, and understand information about where species are located and how they are doing.
Endangered species are also not evenly distributed across the spectrum of all known plants and animals. Further, not all species considered to be at risk are currently afforded protections under the Endangered Species Act.
In 2023, NatureServe released Biodiversity in Focus: United States Edition , a report that leveraged 50 years of data from NatureServe and the NatureServe Network to provide new, actionable insights into biodiversity conservation. According to the report, 34% of plants and 40% of animals are at risk of extinction in the United States. Knowing the status of each species presents opportunities for conservation actions that can prevent the need for listing.
The graphics below use data from this report to show the proportion of imperiled species (those with NatureServe ranks of GH, G1, and G2) in major taxonomic groups that are listed as Endangered or Threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Click the "i" icon over each graphic for more information.
Percent of Imperiled Species Currently Listed Under the Endangered Species Act
A Win-Win Solution
When a species is listed, it can present conflicts regarding how we use vast tracts of land. NatureServe uses a widely accepted modeling workflow to precisely locate habitats that need to be preserved, reducing conflict and increasing the availability of land for productive use.
The answer is not to favor development or species conservation. The answer is to use science to identify and protect critical landscapes, creating a win-win balance between economic growth and biodiversity conservation. Below are some examples in which habitat modeling helped to better inform management decisions for at-risk species.
The Endangered Species Act works better for everyone when using NatureServe data.