Endangered Species Act

What was the catalyst for the ESA? Part 1

DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane) - A “Miracle” Pesticide. Introduced in the 1940s; used worldwide to control mosquitoes and crop pests. Praised for saving lives and boosting food production after WWII.

What was the catalyst for the ESA? Part 2

Rachel Carson was a marine biologist, who warned the public about pesticide dangers. Her 1962 book, Silent Spring revealed how DDT was poisoning wildlife and food chains. It became a turning point for environmental safety and modern environmental law.

What was the catalyst for the ESA? Part 3

Silents spring sparks a debate on chemical pollution. John F. Kennedy ordered a federal review on DDT and confirmed it was dangerous. This encouraged the creation of the EPA (1970), DDT ban (1972), and Endangered Species Act (1973)

Birth of the Endangered Species Act (1973)

President Richard Nixon in 1973 passed the ESA. This was passed in Congress with strong bipartisan support. Consolidated earlier wildlife protection laws into one unified act.

Primary purpose and Importance of the ESA

This act goal is based on science to protect and recover endangered and threatened species, conserve the ecosystems upon which those species depend, and recognizes species as having ecological, educational, and cultural value.

Steps in the Listing Process:

1. Petition/Proposal

2. 90-day Finding

3. Status Review and Public Comments

4. 12-month Finding

5. Final Listing Rule

Under the ESA, a species must be listed if it is threatened or endangered because of any of the following 5 factors:

1. Habitat loss or degradation

2. Overuse (commercial, recreational, scientific, or educational

3. Disease or predation

4. Weak or missing regulations

5. Other natural or human-made threats

Threatened

When a species is likely become endangered

Endangered

When a species is danger of extinction

Extinct

When a species is no longer existing or living

Critical Habitat Designation

Specific geographic areas that contain the physical or biological features essential for a species’ conservation and may require special management or protection.

Core ESA Regulations: “Take” and Habitat Protection

The ESA prohibits actions that harm, harass, or kill protected species - known as a “take.” (“Take” includes both direct actions e.g., hunting, capturing and indirect actions e.g., destroying habitat) Private landowners cannot destroy or significantly alter critical habitat essential for a species’ survival. Activities like construction, timber harvest, or filling ponds may require a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

Delisting

is the process where the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) removes species from the Federal Lists.

What Happens After Recovery

Post-Delisting Monitoring (PDM):

When a species is delisted, the ESA requires monitoring for at least five years. Purpose: Ensure the species stays recovered without ESA protection. If problems arise, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) can: Extend monitoring and Re-list the species if necessary

Downlisting

is reclassifying a species from endangered to threatened, reflecting improvement.

Challenges of the Endangered Species Act (ESA)

Balancing economic and environmental priorities, Debates over delisting controversial species, climates changes introduces new threats, and slow recovery process

ESA: Success Stories

Bald Eagle, American Alligator, Gray Whale, and Whooping crane

The Bald Eagle - A Conservation Success Story

The bald eagle once neared extinction due to habitat loss, hunting, and DDT contamination, dropping to just 417 nesting pairs by 1963 in the lower 48 states. After the DDT ban in 1972, the passage of the Endangered Species Act in 1973, and nationwide conservation efforts, the species rebounded to over 71,000 breeding pairs by 2019. Delisted from the ESA in 2007, the bald eagle remains a major conservation success story and is still protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.