An endangered species, simply put, is a species of organisms whose numbers are so small that the species is at risk of becoming extinct in the future. The issue of endangered species is a problem for various reasons. One is that a species being labeled endangered means that there is a higher potential for that species to become extinct, which obviously means the end of that organism or group of organisms. Another reason is that if that species does in fact become extinct then that would possibly cause a disruption in that ecosystem in which the species was located. A third reason is that being listed as an endangered species could make that species more desirable for poachers and collectors. Many nations around the world have laws that aim to protect these species that are endangered; however, there are groups or individuals that question their effectiveness and whether or not they are actually helping the species. One of the most well-known endangered species laws is the Endangered Species Act of 1973, which was signed into law by Richard Nixon during his time as president. Although many are still presently unaware of this fact, the signing of this law helped bring to light that the issue of endangered species is not just a global issue, it is also a local one.
The Endangered Species Act of 1973, mainly implemented by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Service, prohibits any action that threatens any listed species. Some of these actions can include habitat loss, pollution, invasive species, and hunting or poaching. The government and its federal agencies attempt to control these actions by enforcing laws aimed at protecting endangered species. To try to control for habitat loss, the government places restrictions on land development that could potentially clear out much-needed portions of land. A policy recently reinstated by the Obama administration requires federal officials to consult a wildlife expert before taking actions that could damage endangered species.1
Hunting in the United States has been regulated for quite some time. Regulated hunting is only permitted during set seasons of the year for game animals. No animal placed on the endangered species list is allowed to be hunted under the law. Officials such as federal and state park rangers and game wardens work to enforce laws and regulations related to hunting, such as hunting seasons and hunting bans. Hunting, however, is not the same as poaching. Poaching is defined as “the illegal taking of wildlife: the killing of females with young, using airplanes to track down or flush out wildlife, killing wildlife in national parks or taking more than the legal limits.”2 The government has implemented laws prohibiting poaching and any related act, and violators of the laws can at the very least be forced to pay a fine. In the black market, various animal parts bring in a decent profit for poachers, and involvement in it is serious enough to land violators in jail.
Even though the government is doing its part to try to protect these species being threatened by human actions, it unfortunately is still an issue in our country and will continue to be one for years to come. Anyone who cares for the environment and the species who inhabit it hopes that the future will be one where the protection of plants and animals will not be another issue the government had to worry about, but solutions do not come overnight. It is a growing problem, but even with many caring groups and individuals working together to solve it, it will still continue to happen. That does not mean, however, that those people and the government should stop trying; maybe someday we will see an end to the endangerment of species.
References
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endangered_species
2. Brennan, Patricia. “Audubon’s Jarring Look at Poaching in America.” The Washington Post 9 July 1989, Final ed., TV TAB PAGE Y8: n. pag. LexisNexis Academic. Web.
External Links
1. http://worldwildlife.org/
2. http://www.wildearthguardians.org/site/PageServer
3. http://www.fws.gov/endangered/
4. http://www.nwf.org/
5. http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/laws/esa/
Government Regulations 