21 species removed from US Endangered Species Act due to extinction.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) made a significant announcement on Monday, revealing that 21 species are being removed from the Endangered Species Act (ESA) due to their unfortunate extinction.
In an exciting press release on October 16, the FWS disclosed that most of the species on the list, which includes a diverse range of birds, fish, mussels, and mammals, were initially listed under the ESA in the 1970s and 1980s. However, they were already in critically low numbers and were likely extinct at the time of their listing.
While the federal agency proposed delisting these species in September 2021, they withdrew the proposal for one species, the Phyllostegia glabra var. lanaiensis, a Hawaiian perennial herb in the mint family. This decision was made after surveys identified new and potentially suitable habitats for the plant to thrive.
Although the ivory-billed woodpecker was also included in the agency’s original delisting proposal two years ago, wildlife officials have decided to keep the red-crowned bird on the list. They plan to thoroughly analyze and review the available information before making a final decision on whether to delist this potentially extinct woodpecker, which is native to the bottomland hardwood forests and temperate coniferous forests of the United States and Cuba.
Delisted Species
Among the species now officially declared extinct, eight are birds native to Hawaii. Here is the list:
- Kauai akialoa: Listed as endangered in 1967; last confirmed sighting was in the 1960s
- Kauai nukupuu: Listed as endangered in 1970; last confirmed sighting was in 1899
- Kauaʻi ʻōʻō: Listed as endangered in 1967; last confirmed sighting was in 1987
- Large Kauai thrush: Listed as endangered in 1970; last confirmed sighting was in 1987
- Maui ākepa: Listed as endangered in 1970; last confirmed sighting was in 1988
- Maui nukupuʻu: Listed as endangered in 1970; last confirmed sighting was in 1996
- Molokai creeper: Listed as endangered in 1970; last confirmed sighting was in 1963
- Po`ouli: Listed as endangered in 1975; last confirmed sighting was in 2004
“The Hawaiian birds declared extinct today are a case in point. Their forest habitats were razed by development and agriculture. The introduction to the islands of mosquitoes, which are not native and carry both avian pox and avian malaria, provided the nail in the coffin,” stated the Center for Biological Diversity, a renowned non-profit organization dedicated to protecting endangered species.
Another bird species now officially extinct is the Bachman’s warbler, one of the rarest songbirds that was last seen in North America almost four decades ago. This vibrant yellow bird was once abundant in Florida and South Carolina.
The only mammal species on the list is the Little Mariana fruit bat, a small fruit bat found in Guam. Additionally, the list includes seven mussels found in Alabama, as well as two fish species found in Texas and Ohio.
“Federal protection came too late to reverse the decline of these species, serving as a wake-up call on the importance of conserving endangered species before it’s too late,” emphasized FWS Director Martha Williams on Monday. “As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act this year, we are reminded of its purpose as a safety net that prevents the journey towards extinction. Our ultimate goal is to recover these species, so they no longer require the Act’s protection.”
The ESA, signed into law by former President Richard Nixon in 1973, is a crucial federal act. It has provided a framework for conserving and protecting threatened or endangered plants and animals, both within the United States and internationally.
According to the FWS’s news release, the ESA has proven to be “highly effective” and is credited with saving 99 percent of the species listed as threatened or endangered.
“To date, over 100 species of plants and animals have been delisted due to recovery or reclassified from endangered to threatened based on improved conservation status. Hundreds more species are stable or improving, thanks to the collaborative efforts of Tribes, federal agencies, state and local governments, conservation organizations, and private citizens,” stated wildlife officials, as per the release.
How does the removal of 21 species from the Endangered Species Act highlight the importance of continued conservation efforts?
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