U.S. Wildlife Announces 21 Species Removed From Endangered List

There are few things more heartbreaking than hearing of animals who are going extinct. But it is a very real part of life, and it should be a wake-up call for us as humans. We need to do our part to help with the preservation of all species where we can. 

21 Species Removed From Endangered List

On Monday, October 16, 2023; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a statement that 21 species were to be taken off the endangered species list due to them being extinct. 

According to the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List, there are currently more than 42,100 species that are threatened with extinction. Of these, 21 species are being removed because they have reached extinction status. 

“The 21 species extinctions highlight the importance of the ESA and efforts to conserve species before declines become irreversible,” the government agency wrote in its announcement. “The circumstances of each also underscore how human activity can drive species decline and extinction by contributing to habitat loss, overuse, and the introduction of invasive species and diseases.”

It was reported that the majority of these 21 species were listed in the ESA (Endangered Species Act) in the 1970s – 1980s. Since then, there have been researchers hard at work to determine if these species have gone extinct at all. And this year, in 2023, they finally have determined these species have gone extinct. 

“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,” said Service Director Martha Williams. “As we commemorate 50 years of the Endangered Species Act this year, we are reminded of the Act’s purpose to be a safety net that stops the journey toward extinction. The ultimate goal is to recover these species, so they no longer need the Act’s protection.”

21 Species Now Extinct 

Here is the following list of the species that are now considered to be extinct and have been formally removed from the endangered list, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Mammals

• Little Mariana fruit bat

Birds

• Bachman’s warbler    
• Bridled white-eye     
• Kauai akialoa
• Kauai nukupuu
• Kauaʻi ʻōʻō
• Large Kauai thrush
• Maui ākepa
• Maui nukupuʻu
• Molokai creeper
• Po`ouli

Fish

• San Marcos gambusia
• Scioto madtom

Mussels

• Flat pigtoe
• Southern acornshell
• Stirrupshell
• Upland combshell
• Green-blossom pearly mussel
• Tubercled-blossom pearly mussel
• Turgid-blossom pearly mussel
• Yellow-blossom pearly mussel

“With climate change and natural area loss pushing more and more species to the brink, now is the time to lift proactive, collaborative, and innovative efforts to save America’s wildlife,” Haaland said, highlighting the importance of the ESA.

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