Protecting and Preserving Endangered Species
Humans are not the only rightful residents of the Earth. Without plants, animals, and other terrestrial and marine inhabitants, the ecosystem won’t be a friendly place for the living. That is a fact that the human race has started to figure out. Thus, there is a rapid upsurge of animal welfare advocacies, environment-friendly projects, and species-specific protection programs all over the world.
Humans have fashioned rules and regulations that promote animal rights and protect natural resources, including plants, and other living things that is beneficial to the ecosystem. One of those is the well-meaning law called the Endangered Species Act. If anyone wonders what it is, here’s a brief introduction.
The Endangered Species Act
The laws protecting endangered species has been in place since 1973 when President Nixon signed the Endangered Species Act. As the primary statutory law for both local and global preservation, the act postulates a structure that targets the protection of endangered and threatened species along with the ecosystems they depend on.
Today, ESA registered an approximately 2,270 endangered or threatened species, with about 650 exotic species unique to regions where the United States has no jurisdiction. ESA works with USFWS. While ESA looks after endangered and threatened marine species, USFWS oversees both terrestrial and freshwater ones.
Endangered vs. Threatened
US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) sets a distinction between endangered and threatened species. Species that are endangered are those that are in peril of becoming extinct while those categorized as threatened may likely become endangered species in the near future.
In order for a species to be given special protection, it must fall into one or more of the following conditions.
The species is susceptible to diseases or vulnerable to predation.
The environment on which the species depend on becomes toxic or destroyed.
The species is dying out due to recreational, commercial, scientific, or educational uses.
The existing legal code is incompetent in protecting the species.
Manmade factors imperils the survival of the species.
Check out the list of threatened or endangered species throughout the world. The list may change from time to time depending on the species’ status of recovery from extinction.
The effort in protecting the endangered species is worldwide. A number of groups or organizations receive funding from either the government or private donations—all looking forward to save what has been once neglected or unprotected. But this is not just about the world’s battle for conservation—it is also about an individual’s endeavor to make our home planet better for everyone.
References
US Fish and Wildlife Service. Revised March 2003. “What Is the Difference between Endangered and Threatened?” Accessed March 8, 2017. https://www.fws.gov/midwest/wolf/esastatus/e-vs-t.htm.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. n.d. “Endangered Species Act (ESA).” Accessed March 8, 2017. http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/laws/esa/.
National Wildlife Federation. n.d. “What We Do to Protect Endangered Species.” Accessed March 8, 2017. http://www.nwf.org/What-We-Do/Protect-Wildlife/Endangered-Species.aspx.
Endangered Species Coalition. n.d. “Protecting the Endangered Species Act.” Accessed March 8, 2017. http://www.endangered.org/campaigns/protecting-the-endangered-species-act/.
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