The Endangered Species Act of 1973

1. The Endangered Species Act of 1973 Daniel Eidelson Period 3

2. What is the Endangered Species Act? • The Endangered Species Act was created in 1973 and was amended in 1982, 1985, 1988 • The act is in effect both domestically and internationally • It was created under the Nixon administration in response to a high number of endangered and threatened species that were facing potential extinction

3. What does the Endangered Species Act do? • The purpose of the Endangered Species Act is to protect endangered or threatened species from becoming extinct • The act allows for listing of potentially endangered species who meet certain criteria • The species are then listed and prioritized, with critically endangered species being given the highest priority • The lands and habitats that harbor the endangered species are then protected from human development and a recovery plan for the species is created

4. Who enforces and regulates the Endangered Species Act? • The U.S. government was responsible for drafting the act and for all subsequent amendments to it • The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has the responsibility of listing endangered species and protecting their habitats