1. Endangered Species Act (ESA) Sutton Bay Elana Yanusz Period 3

2. What is the purpose of the ESA? The purpose is to protect and recover imperiled species and the ecosystems upon which they depend.

3. The ESA is… A list of endangered – Birds – Fish – Insects – Reptiles – Mammals – Crustaceans species including – Grasses – Trees – Flowers

4. Who oversees the ESA? The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service oversees all listing and protection of terrestrial animals and plants as well as fresh water fish. The National Marine Fisheries Service oversees marine life.

5. When was the ESA passed and why? The Endangered Species Act was passed by Congress in 1973. There were concerns about low populations in some species. These concerns came about due to habitat destruction and overhunting.

6. Threatened or Endangered? Endangered – in danger of extinction in its natural habitat. Threatened – likely to become endangered in the future. All species of plants and animals except pest insects are eligible for listing as endangered or threatened.

7. Criteria for being listed as endangered Has a large amount of destroyed habitat Is overhunted by humans Threatened by diseases or predators Not enough laws for protection of species Other man-made factors One or more = yes then listed

8.  Fun Facts  There are 1,970 species listed under the ESA. Of that number 1,361 can be found in the USA as of 2009. The number one endangered species is the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker. Endangered Species Day is held on the 3rd Friday of each May.

9. Work Cited http://www.epa.gov/lawsregs/laws/esa.html http://www.fws.gov/endangered/laws- policies/index.html http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/laws/esa/ http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlife- Conservation/Understanding-Wildlife- Conservation/Endangered-Species-Act.aspx