Celebrating 50 Years of Endangered Species Act Success

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Conservation and wildlife advocacy groups are celebrating the 50th
anniversary of the passage of the Endangered Species Act this year, commemorating
five decades of effective and crucial protection for imperiled animals and plants.

"Since 1973, the Endangered Species Act has succeeded in saving countless species from extinction," said Bonnie Rice, Wildlife Campaign Manager for the Sierra Club. "In the half-century since the ESA was passed, 99% of species listed under the Act have been saved from the brink of extinction, but the rate of habitat destruction and other threats to biodiversity have only accelerated. In the midst of the first mass extinction directly caused by human activities, Congress and the Biden Administration must act swiftly and decisively to protect the nation's biodiversity and to ,implement, strengthen, and fully fund this bedrock conservation law."

Passed nearly unanimously by Congress and signed into law by Richard Nixon on Dec.
28, 1973, the Endangered Species Act continues to be a bedrock environmental law for
the United States. The Act has been tremendously successful at preventing species that
are protected under it from going extinct. The Act has saved countless imperiled
species, and 90% of the plants and wildlife listed under the law are recovering on
schedule to meet the timetables in their recovery plans.
 
“This year, as we celebrate 50 years of the Endangered Species Act, we know its role in
maintaining biodiversity is more important now than ever, especially as we face a
worsening climate crisis and mass extinction,” said House Natural Resources Ranking
Member Raúl M. Grijalva. “From protecting critical habitat to creating recovery plans,
the Endangered Species Act has facilitated the recovery of species like the humpback
whale and bald eagle, while also protecting iconic species like grizzly bears, sea turtles
and jaguars. We know this milestone is also a time to reinvigorate our defense of
Endangered Species Act protections. Each year, Republicans ramp up their attacks to
undermine science-based decisions about listing, delisting, habitat protections and
recovery, so they can more easily dole out favors for polluters. We stand ready to
continue our fight for species and their habitats over the next 50 years and beyond.” 

“For 50 years, the Endangered Species Act has been our safety net for fish, plants and
wildlife on the brink of extinction,” said Bob Stanton, former director of the U.S. National
Park Service. “As we look to the next 50 years, we owe it to future generations to fully
fund and strengthen the law that protects our nation’s wildlife heritage.”

More than 1,747 imperiled species of plants, fish and wildlife in the United States were
protected by the Endangered Species Act as of 2019, according to a peer reviewed
study. Only 26 have gone extinct or are possibly extinct after being placed on the list of
protected species. However, many other plants and animals — like the Bishop's ʻōʻō, Guam broadbill and Tacoma pocket gopher — have disappeared while waiting for the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to make decisions on whether to protect them.

Despite its strong track record, and the support of 90% of American voters, the
Endangered Species Act continues to face political threats. In 2017 more than 400
organizations signed a letter to members of Congress opposing efforts to weaken the
law. This year provides an opportunity to reflect on the law’s successes, as well as find
ways to strengthen it to protect imperiled plants and animals. 

In celebration of the Endangered Species Act, conservation and animal advocacy
organizations will be hosting events, releasing reports and launching a website to honor
this historic law. These include holding an awards ceremony for people and
organizations working to save imperiled animals, educating members of Congress
about the importance of the Endangered Species Act and sponsoring a series of murals
highlighting endangered species.