The Endangered Species Act Turns 35 |
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December 23, 2008
In 1972, President Nixon declared that conservation efforts in the United States aimed toward preventing the extinction of species were inadequate and called on the 93rd Congress to develop comprehensive endangered species legislation. Congress responded, and on December 28th, the Endangered Species Act of 1973 was signed into law.
Unlike other laws that focus on individual animals, such as the U.S. Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, or groups of species like the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act, is applicable to all species of fish, wildlife, and plants.
This year the Endangered Species Act turns 35.
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Service Proposes Addition of Penguin Species to Endangered Species List |
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African penguins. Credit: Maryland Baltimore Zoo |
December 17, 2008
The Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to list one penguin species as endangered and five penguin species as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The Service also found that three species of penguins do not warrant listing throughout their range and is proposing listing one species as threatened in a significant portion of its range.
News Release
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New Rule Unifies Domestic and International Conservation Laws
to Manage Polar Bear |
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Polar bear. Credit: Dave Olsen / USFWS |
December 11, 2008
Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne announced today that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has finalized a Special Rule under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) providing for the conservation of the polar bear.
News Release
Polar Bear Information
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Service
Releases Annual List of Candidates for Endangered Species
Act |
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Gierisch mallow. Credit:
USFWS |
December 10, 2008
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today
released its Candidate Notice of Review, a yearly appraisal of the
current status of plants and animals that are candidates for
protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Two species have
been removed from candidate status, one species has been added, and
11 have a change in priority from the last review in December 2007.
There are now 251 species recognized by the Service as candidates
for ESA protection.
News Release
List of Candidates
Federal Register Notice
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New Conservation Effort Benefits Rare Species in Southeastern New Mexico |
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L to R: Deputy Regional Director Brian Millsap, Regional Director Benjamin Tuggle; Chris Brininstool, a rancher from Lea County NM; Doug Lynn, Executive Director, Center of Excellence for Hazardous Materials Management; and Deputy Secretary of the Interior Lynn Scarlett. |
December 9, 2008
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Land Management have launched an innovative conservation program that encourages landowners, energy companies, and ranchers to help protect and restore habitat for lesser prairie chickens and sand dune lizards in southeast New Mexico.
USFWS News Release
Candidate Conservation Agreement and Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances signed documents
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Endangered mussels get pumped-up in the Upper Mississippi river |
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Scott Gritters of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources holds a Higgin’s eye pearlymussel. |
December 1, 2008
Biologists have found Higgin’s eye pearlymussels 19 miles below the site of their release two years ago. Placing bass and walleye as host fish in cages in the river has been an essential technique in enabling mussel larvae to survive—and helping the endangered species to recover.
Learn more from Fish Lines
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400 Pallid Sturgeon Released in the Missouri River |
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Neosho National Fish Hatchery staff prepare to stock Federally endangered pallid sturgeon. |
December 1, 2008
Marked with tags from the Neosho National Fish Hatchery in Missouri, 400 endangered pallid sturgeon were released on September 23, 2008 into the Missouri River near Bellevue, Nebraska. Originating from wild brood stock, the fish were transported by plane in 2007 as small fry from Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery in North Dakota to Neosho.
Learn more from Fish Lines
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Service Reopens Public Comment Period On 2007 Proposal to Delist Northern Rocky Mountain Population of Gray Wolves Under the Endangered Species Act |
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Gray wolf. Credit: John
and Karen Hollingsworth / USFWS |
October 24, 2008
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today
announced it is reopening the public comment period on its proposal
to delist the gray wolf in the northern Rocky Mountains.
News Release
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What's Weird, Wonderful, and Needs Help? |
October 23, 2008
What does a Black Warrior waterdog look like? How about a fine-lined pocketbook or spectacled eider? Weird & Wonderful Wildlife, our new Endangered Species poster for kids and the young at heart, answers these questions and more. The free poster features 14 strangely-named or otherwise unusual plant and animal species. Most are endangered or threatened, and several are candidates for listing under the Endangered Species Act. Inspired by their names, fanciful artwork illustrates what you might imagine the species to look like. The other side features photos of the same species with some fun facts.
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