WildEarth Guardians

A Force for Nature

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Photo Credit: Larry Lamsa, Flickr

Protecting endangered species – using the Endangered Species Act to save imperiled wildlife

Endangered Species Act Protections

We are currently in the midst of the sixth mass extinction in Earth’s history. While extinction is a natural process, the current extinction rate is at least one thousand times the historical rate indicated by the fossil record. Blame for this sixth mass extinction can be placed squarely on humans. Habitat destruction, climate change, pollution, exploitation, and proliferation of non-native species—driven by human overpopulation and overconsumption—have resulted in a catastrophic loss of biodiversity.

One of the best tools we have for fighting species loss is the United States Endangered Species Act. This is our nation’s most powerful environmental law, and since it was passed in 1973, the Act has been 99 percent successful at preventing the extinction of listed species. But many plant and animal species scientists consider imperiled have not been listed under the Endangered Species Act. Moreover, thanks to a loophole in the listing process, even species deemed deserving of listing must often wait years on the candidate list before they are protected. Some of these species have gone extinct while awaiting listing.

We have an energetic and dogged campaign to usher imperiled species onto the legal ark of the Endangered Species Act and then use the Act’s full powers to ensure those species’ survival and recovery. We fight for the imperiled species that don’t have the luxury of time.

Education and Outreach

Our work is backed by the best available science, and we strive to make our research transparent through our research and reports. We also conduct public education campaigns to increase tolerance and promote coexistence, particularly for species that have not been afforded the legal protections of the Endangered Species Act.

Research and Reports

 

Guardians and the Endangered Species Act

Learn more about our work on the Endangered Species Act, including how we secured Endangered Species Act protections for nearly 200 imperiled species.

Candidate Settlement Milestone

In 2011, we entered into an agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that resulted in Endangered Species Act protections for nearly 200 species awaiting listing.

ESA Listing Petitions

We have submitted numerous petitions to federal agencies seeking protection for imperiled species. You can find those petitions here.

Threatened + Endangered Species List

See a list of endangered species that we work to protect.

On the ESA Waiting List

Find out why imperiled species languish on the endangered species list for years and how we saved many species from that fate.