What is the Endangered Species Act?

Enacted in 1973, the Endangered Species Act , 16 U.S.C. Sections 1531-1544, (or the ESA as it is commonly known) is one of the most popular, and most effective, environmental laws on the books. The ESA works, with citizen involvement, to preserve not only large and charismatic species—the Florida panthers and bald eagles— but those that are small, equally unique, and beautiful, such as Eskimo curlews and Alabama beach mice. 

The visionary intention of the Endangered Species Act is that all these species will not merely survive in zoos, but thrive in the wild environments where they evolved over millions of years.

The ESA has three key elements:

(a) listing of species as threatened or endangered;

(b) designation of habitat essential for the survival and the development of listed species;

(c) creation of blueprints (recovery plans) to guide action to bring listed species back to healthy population levels so that they can be removed from the lists.

Endangered species: A species that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.

The ESA is jointly administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (land-based species and manatees) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (marine species).

To see the full text of the ESA visit www.endangered.fws.gov/esa.html