Endangered Species

This week Nature Minute will take a look at something most have never seen before- endangered species. You may have seen one or two because there are so many species that are endangered, but most likely not because there are so few of each species. They come in all shapes and sizes, from lichens to flowers to trees and from insects to corals to snails to whales.

In legal terms, an endangered species is defined by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as being in danger of becoming extinct. A companion term in ESA is a threatened species, which is under threat of becoming endangered. ESA requires protection for endangered and threatened species as well as their habitat, because how can a species survive without having a place to live?

While ESA is an American law, it also extends global protection to species listed as threatened or endangered wherever they may be found. For example, the cheetah is listed as a foreign endangered species. While US laws regarding the conservation of cheetahs and their habitat can’t be enforced in Africa, the extent of the law here at home prohibits trafficking in them and other foreign endangered species.

Currently there are close to 2000 threatened and endangered species just in the US. When a species is listed, the appropriate state and federal agencies must develop a recovery plan. The recovery plan outlines how to increase the species population and preserve habitat and specifies a target population to be considered sustainable so the species can be delisted. Lead federal agencies that oversee ESA listing and recovery plans are the US Fish and Wildlife Service for terrestrial species and National Marine Fisheries Service works with oceanic critters. Both partner with state fish and wildlife agencies, local and tribal governments, private organizations.

My time in the field gave me the opportunity to work on conservation projects aimed at species recovery. I was even lucky enough to see some of the species I was trying to help.

In the US, four of the five Pacific salmon species (pinks are excluded) are listed as threatened or endangered. I volunteered with the Nisqually Land Trust, an organization that works to preserve and enhance salmon habitat. Although the salmon is a fish, salmon habitat begins with healthy forests that keep the rivers cool and clean.

Chinook salmon returning to spawn

I also volunteered with the Center for Natural Lands Management on two prairie preserves. I removed invasive blackberries and Scotch broom from the Glacial Heritage Natural Area and also collected wildflower seeds from there and the Mima Mounds Natural Area. The work I did was to open space for native plants to grow and collect seeds for propagation at other sites. The prairies are home to the endangered Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly, Mazama pocket gopher, and golden paintbrush, a flower. 

Golden paintbrush

Mazama pocket gopher (US Fish and Wildlife)

Taylor's checkerspot (US Fish and Wildlife)

My list of endangered species that I’ve seen in their natural habitat is short, but probably longer than most other people’s. I’ve seen the beluga whale (Alaska), golden paintbrush (Washington), Chinook salmon (Washington), black-footed ferret (South Dakota), and West Indian manatee (Florida).

Black-footed ferret (National Park Service)

West Indian manatee

I am glad that we have ESA to protect endangered species. Several, such as the bald eagle and the alligator, are considered recovered and have been delisted. The road to recovery takes a long time, and sadly the list gets longer as new species are added before the existing species recover. 

Bald eagle

American alligator (National Park Service)

My only regret about ESA is that it takes a reactive approach to protecting species with critically low populations, rather than a proactive approach that prevents them from needing to be listed in the first place. For more information on the Endangered Species Act visit the US Fish and Wildlife website here.