Regulations of Endangered Species Act

In 2010, the Endangered Species Act lists about 1,950 endangered species.

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) is a set of federal regulations that provide protection for endangered plants and animals and the habitats in which they are found.

Provisions

The ESA prohibits the taking of any listed species. Endangered species include certain birds, insects, fish, reptiles, mammals, crustaceans, flowers, grasses and trees. All types of interstate and foreign commerce pertaining to listed species are generally prohibited as well. In addition, the ESA requires that federal agencies do not authorize or fund any program that would jeopardize the existence of listed endangered species.

Administering Agencies

The federal agencies responsible for the implementation of the ESA and the designation of endangered species and habitat are the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries Service. The laws are administered by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Protected Species

About 1,350 of the 1,950 species listed in 2010 are found in the United States and its contiguous waters. The remainder of listed species are found in foreign countries. Approximately 125 endangered species are marine mammals.

Threats

Endangered and threatened species face a wide variety of threats including human impact, domestic and international smuggling rings, and commercial exploitation. For marine species, threats largely result from accidental capture in fishing gear, habitat destruction, pollution, over-harvesting and ship strikes.

References

• EPA: ESA Summary
• EPA: Overview of Adminstration
• Office of Protected Resources: ESA Information

Resources

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: List of Endangered Species
• EPA: Endangered Species Fact Sheets
• USFWS: Summary of Listed Species