Endangered Species Act

The Endangered Species Act is the most successful and important conservation act in the United States of America. More than 2,000 plants and animals are protected under this act and 93% of these species have remained stable since they became protected under the ESA. The Endangered Species Act is administered by two federal agencies, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The ESA has helped prevent some of our most beloved creatures from extinction, including the Bald Eagle, Gray Wolf, the Florida Manatee, and the Atlantic Green Sea Turtle. Although the act has been tested by non-conservation supporting lawmakers, the act still remains successful due to its recovery rate and habitat …show more content…
"The Endangered Species Act provides common-sense, balanced solutions for government agencies, landowners, and concerned citizens to conserve endangered wildlife and their habitats.” (Protecting the Endangered Species Act). This act provides conservationists with instructions on how to handle situations involving endangered species and their well-being. Without this act, Americans would no longer be able to see some of our most beloved animals in the wild ever again. “By creating the Endangered Species Act, Americans stated that it’s not enough that wildlife survive in the sterile confines of zoos—they declared that these species should also thrive in natural environments."(Protecting the Endangered Species Act). Although keeping endangered species in zoos protects them, it’s not preserving the natural state and heritage of our nation. Removing a species from an ecosystem can cause great harm to everything living in that environment. Keeping these species in zoos would also cause more danger because the animals would not be adapted to their wild …show more content…
Section three of the Endangered Species Act states “The term “conservation” means to use and the use of all methods and procedures which are necessary to bring any endangered species to the point at which the measures provided pursuant to this Act are no longer necessary.” (Endangered Species Act). The ESA is also directed to use legal authority when necessary in order to protect these species. Legal authority is necessary when fines need to be issued, listed species are being sold for profit or when conflict occurs where critical habitat is involved. The ESA helps recover populations, sets rules and regulations (specifically on hunting and trading), and provides basic needs for listed species, but habitat protection has been found to be the most successful method. Most species are harmed because of habitat loss and destruction, so the ESA sets their environments as “Critical Habitats.” (Endangered Species