Threatened and Endangered Species

Protecting endangered and threatened species and restoring them to a secure status in the wild is the primary objective of the endangered species program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Responsibilities of the endangered species program include:

• Listing, reclassifying, and delisting species under the Endangered Species Act

• Providing biological opinions to Federal agencies on their activities that may affect listed species

• Overseeing recovery activities for listed species

• Providing for the protection of important habitat

• Providing grants to States to assist with their endangered species conservation efforts

Helping endangered species involves more than working with only the big and majestic creatures like the American bald eagle and the giant panda. For example, in Arizona, nineteen species of plants have declined to the point where they require the protection of the Endangered Speceis Act. Almost 40% of prescription medicine is derived from, or synthesized to mimic, compounds found in various species of plants from throughout the world. Yet scientists have only had a chance to study less than 1% of the plants in the world to determine if they have any medicinal value. Unfortunately, every year plant species disappear without us ever knowing their role in the ecosystems in which they lived and their potential direct and indirect benefits to the people dependent on those ecosystems. It is the job of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect threatened and endangered species and their habitats and restore these species to a secure status.  

Definitions

Threatened means that a species is likely to become endangered if it is not protected.

Endangered means that a species is in immediate danger of becoming extinct and needs protection to survive.

Plants and animals become threatened or endangered due to:

•  Loss of habitat

•  Illegal or unregulated hunting or collection

•  Competition from non-native species

•  Pollution