The staggering number was a result of lead poisoning, where birds often accidentally ingest bullet fragments left in animal carcasses, and reduced eggshell thickness – which prevents the species to repopulate – from consuming pesticide DDT. But it was all but extinct in the 1980s with only about six individuals left in the wild. Though the bald eagle is the most recognisable bird of the prey in the US, the California condor is the largest known wild bird in North America.
With decades of dedicated conservation efforts, the species managed to increase 24% of its population number between 19, with an estimated total of more than 100,000 nests each year. As 95% of its US breeding population is located in Florida – though they can be also be found in South and North Carolina, and the Alabama coasts in the Gulf of Mexico – loggerhead sea turtles were heavily impacted by the development boom there, especially in recreational beach activities in which the Sunshine State is famous for. The turtles are also common victims of bycatch in commercial fishing and trawling. The Loggerhead sea turtle first joined the endangered species list in 1978 following population decline from the destruction of its beach nesting habitats and overharvesting of its eggs. However, recent water pollution from industry and urban development has heavily impacted its ecosystem, killing off seagrass beds – manatees’ main source of food – have led to the deaths of at least 881 manatees in Florida since the start of 2021, far exceeding the annual average of 578 deaths between 20, in an occurrence in which The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is calling an “unusual mortality event.” Scientists and environmentalists are arguing for the species to be considered endangered again. Thanks to decades of conservation efforts, manatee numbers have recovered to the point where the US Fish and Wildlife Service decided to de-list the species from endangered in 2017. In 1967, the manatee was among the first wildlife species to be protected under the newly-created Endangered Species Preservation Act. The Florida Manateeįlorida is also home to another notable US endangered species: the manatee. Source by: The US Fish and Wildlife Service/Flickr 3. The panthers can be spotted in forests, prairies, and swampland such as the Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve. Since 1967, the Florida panther has been listed as an endangered species. Inland development such as roads and highways also pose a danger to panthers attempting to cross the land. However, the wildcat, once ranged throughout the southeastern United States, now survives only in a tiny area of South Florida as a result of habitat destruction and widespread urbanisation to accommodate the growing human population. Florida PantherĪs the name suggests, the Florida panther is native to the state of Florida, where the remaining 100-180 individuals continue to roam in the wild.
Under the Act, the US Fish and Wildlife Service reintroduced them in eastern North Carolina to help conserve and recover the rare species. Once common in eastern and south central regions of the US, the red wolf was listed as a species “threatened with extinction” under the Endangered Species Preservation Act in 1967, after population numbers have dropped significantly due to decades of human activity including gunshots and vehicle collisions. Identifiable by its reddish fur behind their ears, neck and legs, the red wolf is the world’s most endangered wolf with only 15-17 individuals left. These are just 10 of the most endangered species in the US. However, persistent human activity including land conversion for agriculture and development purposes, pollution, and climate change makes it difficult for species already listed as endangered, as well as other vulnerable species, to recover and stay protected. The 1973 Endangered Species Act is the country’s most effective law in protecting at-risk species from extinction, with a success rate of 99%. Experts believe these species have passed the point of recovery. In September 2021, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, a government agency dedicated to the conservation, protection, and enhancement of wildlife and its habitat, declared 23 birds, fish and other species to be extinct, and proposed to remove them from the 1973 Endangered Species Act. Earth.Org is powered by over 150 contributing writers
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