From the snail darter and the Tellico Dam to the spotted owls
and oldgrowth forest loggers, the Endangered Species Act has
seen its share of controversy. Often since it was enacted on
Dec. 28, 1973, the ESA has been called the worlds most powerful
law for species preservation, and with that title comes a lot of
attention. While the ESA has been credited with saving 99
percent of listed species from extinction and has put hundreds
more on the road to recovery, it is still misunderstood by many.
So, as the act celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2013, lets set
the record straight. Today, the ESA protects 1,400 domestic
species and 614 foreign species. The story behind the decline of
these species is much the sameone of habitat loss and
degradation. The inevitable development pressures that
accompanied our growth into a nation of more than 300 million
people have threatened the health and wellbeing of native fish,
wildlife and plants. Among other things, the ESA is trying to
protect habitat and ecosystems that fo