In 1966, Congress passed the Endangered Species Preservation Act (ESA), providing a way to list native animal species as endangered and giving them protections in an effort to combat extinction and environmental detriment. Since the law was passed, treasured species such as Bald Eagles, Grizzly Bears, Grey Wolves, Grey Whales and many more have been brought back from the brink of extinction because of this act.
Here is what you should know about the ESA and possible changes that could be made to it in the coming years.
What does the ESA do specifically?
The act states that the U.S. Departments of Interior, Agriculture, and Defense must protect listed species and their habitats. Species are listed when sufficient scientific evidence provides proof that a species is threatened or endangered, and whether or not there is hope for recovery. This can either come from biologists at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or as a response to a public petition. Once listed, the respective government bodies must create and execute a recovery plan.
Image courtesy of Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
How successful has it been?
Very. Since listings began, 99% of listed species survived and some have even been taken off the list due to exponential comebacks. These include the bald eagle, pandas, gray wolves, the American peregrine falcon, and the red kangaroo. In saving these species, several others, some unlisted, have been able to recover as well. A great example of this is the reintroduction of the gray wolf into Yellowstone National Park, which led to a huge ripple effect. The population of elk was reduced, meaning the willows and aspen trees were no longer in danger of being overeaten. Because the willow and aspen tree population shot up, the branches and leaves covered the stream from the sun which cooled it down, allowing the native trout to thrive, provided more food for beavers and more nesting areas for birds. The effect that saving a single species has on the entirety of an ecosystem is a substantial one, and the ESA has proven this since its enactment.
What is happening with the ESA today?
While the act as written could be updated, there are a lot of changes being proposed that could have negative effects on how strictly we protect these species and that could change the process of listing, making it harder to get species on the list. One of these revisions would mean taking the country’s economic factors into account. Listing of a species would still be based on scientific findings on how in danger this plant or animal is, but would not take into account how it would affect the states economy. This change is stemming from states who do not have the budget to create and abide by a recovery plan.
Another proposed change is that we more clearly define what the critical habitats are, meaning protected areas could be harder to determine as critical. The worry is how this will be determined. If a welcomed public or corporate building or project is desired to take place in a certain area, and that area is found to be a critical habitat, where would priority be given? Many environmental groups worry that under the current administration, that priority would be given to industry.
According to NPR’s Nathan Rott, there is a lot of conflicted feeling about changing the ESA at all. Some feel that because of its historic success, it should remain as it is. Others say it should be updated to allow governing bodies and environmental groups to do more prevention work, rather than only assisting species once they are listed as endangered. The big issue being considered is budget – do states have it in their budget to fund these recovery programs as we have been until now?
What can you do to improve the ESA?
Vote this November.
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