Endangered & Threatened Animals
In 1973, Congress passed the Endangered Species Act to provide protection to animals and plants that had the potential to become extinct. An endangered animal is at risk of extinction in all or part of its range while those listed as threatened will more than likely become endangered in the future.
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Function
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The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has the ability to classify animals as endangered or threatened. The USFWS may also remove animals from these lists or reclassify them according to how the species reacts to protection.
Significance
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Protective measures designed to protect and preserve an animal species go into effect once an animal makes the threatened or endangered list. Some of the ways species gain protection include limiting or banning hunting of the animal and restrictions on the trading of the species.
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Effects
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The black-footed ferret is an example of an endangered species that once had a thriving population in the Great Plains. This creature lost habitat to farming and much of its major food source---prairie dogs---to poisoning and hunting.
Geography
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Populations of animals unique to certain portions of the United States are on the threatened and endangered lists. Some examples are the Eastern puma, the Hawaiian monk seal, the Northern spotted owl and the Florida black bear.
Types
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Major contributors to a species' demise include over-hunting or trapping for meat or fur of the creature as well as loss of habitat to such activities as agriculture and logging.
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