Today Is Endangered Species Day

Since 2006, the third Friday in May has been celebrated as Endangered Species Day.  The day draws awareness to the threats to wildlife, fish and plants that are listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).  It also celebrates success stories, such as the delisting of the American bald eagle, American peregrine falcon, and some populations of gray wolf and grizzly bear. The ESA is a living law, and in the last eight months there has been great public debate on how consultation under the act should be conducted.

This day provides an opportunity for the NPS to educate its staff and visitors about threatened or endangered (T&E) species and to highlight the actions that parks have taken to restore our nation's imperiled plants and animals. There are currently 389 T&E species in 195 NPS units:  Of these, 280 are endangered, 108 are threatened, and one, the American alligator, is listed because of its similarity to the threatened American crocodile. These species are represented by 1,053 park populations.  Over 1,700 NPS biologists, botanists, and resource specialists implement recovery plan actions for T&E park populations. 

About 70% of these populations are currently found on park lands, while 30% are historic. NPS management policies direct parks to restore listed species’ habitats and to reestablish extirpated populations to maintain the species and the habitats upon which they depend. In 2008, 35% of T&E park populations were either not-at-risk, had stable populations, or had populations that were increasing in numbers, while 65% were either declining, unknown, or historic.

NPS units have restored 39 T&E populations – about 60% are plant species while 40% are mammals, mollusks, fishes, birds, or reptiles. The Hawaiian Island parks have restored 17 plant species and parks in the Southeast Region have restored four mollusks. 

Throughout the United States and foreign lands, there are currently 1,891 threatened and endangered (T&E) listed species.  The ESA celebrated its 35th anniversary on December 28, 2008.  On March 28th, the Secretaries of Interior and Commerce revoked a Bush administration rule that had become effective this past January 15th.  Federal action agencies will once again consult with biologists at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service for “not likely to adversely affect” determinations.  The secretaries will conduct a joint review of the ESA consultation regulations to determine if any improvements should be proposed. 

For more information, contact Nancy Brian at 970-267-2103, or visit the following websites:


http://www.nature.nps.gov/biology/endangeredspecies/database/search.cfm

http://www.nwf.org/endangered/endangeredspeciesday.cfm

http://ecos.fws.gov/tess_public/pub/boxScore.jsp