Revival Achievement: 21 Species Removed from Endangered List due to Restoration Efforts

The US Fish and Wildlife Service has removed 21 animals from the Endangered Species Act, not because they are no longer endangered, but because they are extinct. This decision was made after it was discovered that these species had very few numbers or were already eradicated. According to CBS News, these species, which include 10 types of birds, eight types of mussels, two species of fish, and one type of bat, were listed as endangered back in the 1970s and ’80s.CBS News. In 2021, FWS proposed delisting these 21 species, along with two others, due to their extinction. However, it decided to continue reviewing information on the ivory-billed woodpecker, even after grainy photos and videos emerged that supposedly showed the bird flying through a Louisiana forest, as reported by CNN.CNN.

According to the Hill, the last confirmed sighting of the ivory-billed woodpecker was in 1944. Similarly, the other 21 species have not been sighted in the 21st century. Among the eight species found in Hawaii, three types of birds, including the large Kauai thrush, the Molokai creeper, and the po’ouli (also known as the black-faced honeycreeper), were listed. The fish species scioto madtom used to inhabit Ohio’s Big Darby Creek, while the San Marcos gambusia was found in Texas’ San Marcos Springs. The little Mariana fruit bat and the bridled white-eye bird were found in Guam, as mentioned in the Pacific Daily News.Pacific Daily News. FWS Director Martha Williams conveyed, in a release, that “Federal protection came too late to reverse these species’ decline, and it’s a wake-up call on the importance of conserving imperiled species before it’s too late.”

The release also highlights how human activity contributes to habitat loss, overuse, and the introduction of invasive species and diseases, which can drive species decline and extinction. It emphasizes the significance of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and efforts to conserve species before it becomes irreversible. Currently, there are still over 1,300 species listed as endangered or threatened under the ESA. The agency notes that it will continue to analyze and review information before making a decision on whether to delist the ivory-billed woodpecker. Renowned ornithologist John Fitzpatrick commended this move, stating that active searches are ongoing in various regions, and recently released images are suggestive of the bird’s existence, as reported by CNN. (Read more extinction stories.)