UNDERSTANDING THE ENDANGERED SPECIES

ACT

What is the ESA?

• Federal Law : 1973 (USA), 1976 (Canada) protecting wildlife & plants

• Conserve & recover species in danger of extinction

• Preserve ecosystems that sensitivespecies depend upon

• Each State also has their own laws protecting species

FEDERAL AGENCIES IN CHARGE

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Dept. of Interior

• Terrestrial & freshwater species plus migratory birds

• National Marine Fisheries Service in the Dept. of Commerce

• Marine, estuarine, & anadromous species

Examples of Federally Listed Species

Bull trout

Mexican spotted owl

San Joaquin kit fox

Oregon silverspot

Giant kangaroo rat

California jewelflower

Indiana bat

Canada lynx

Piping plover

Desert tortoise

Number of U.S. Listed Species per Calendar Year

Calendar YearTotal Number (cumulative)

1980 281

1985 384

1990 596

1995 962

2000 1244

2002 1260

Species Recovery Plans

• Restore populations to sustainable levels – Stop & reverse decline, remove threats– Habitat protection or restoration,

removal of exotic species, clean up pollution, captive breeding

• USFWS, State & Federal Agencies, Universities, private institutions, local stakeholders

• May take years

USFWSHabitat Conservation Plans

• Agreements with private landowners: allow resource harvest or development on part of their land if endangered species on their property benefit overall

– Restore habitat, fund conservation research, remove exotic species

• 250 HCP’s (200 in progress)

– 18.5 million acres

•Bald Eagle – Listed 1973

•>100,000 pairs in lower 48 states–417 pairs - 1963

•Hunting, DDT•Downlisted (Threatened) 1995

•Still Endangered in California

ESA Successes

American Peregrine Falcon

•Listed 1970 (324 pairs) •DDT •6,000 breed in captivity & released

De-listed 1999 1,300 breeding pairs (41 states)

More Recovered Species

Canada Goose

Gray Whale

Columbian white-tailed Deer

Red Kangaroo

International Wildlife Treaties

•U.S./Canada/Mexico Trilateral Committee for Wildlife & Ecosystem Conservation & Management (1996)

•CITES - Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (1975)–164 member countries–Protects & regulates trade in endangered species (live specimens & products)

–> 700 species listed

American Alligator (>1 million in the wild now)

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Listed 1967, De-listed 1987

Hunting & Habitat Destruction

American Peregrine Falcon

PRIMARY ROLE OF THE FEDERAL LEAD AGENCIES (e.g.

FWS, NMFS)

• Identification and listing of species and critical habitats.

• Administration of coordination & consultation provisions.

• Developing recovery plans.

DEFINITIONS

• Critical habitat: Areas with physical or biological features that are essential to a species conservation

• Both occupied range & its former range

– Areas may require protection or special management

SOME DEFINITIONS:

• Endangered---In danger of extinction in foreseeable future throughout its range, e.g. Steelhead, California Condor

• Threatened---Likely to become endangered in foreseeable future throughout its range, e.g. Piping plover, Bog turtle.

• Species---Any species, subspecies, or distinct population segment

DEFINITIONS (continued)

•Take ---To harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct.

–Violation of law carries criminal penalties.