3/31 Flashcards
Endangered Species & Endangered Species Act (45 cards)
/Who coined the term “endangered species?”
William Beebe
What was the term “endangered species” describing?
North American bison
When did the “official” status of the term endangered species become official?
When it was codified in the 1960’s
Who decides which species get listed?
ppp
What are the 2 types of endang. species lists?
- Informational
2. Regulatory
What is a regulatory list? Give example
Part of national legislation (ex. €Endangered Species Act of 1973)
What are “red data books” and “red lists?”
published in 1966 by IUCN
What is the IUCN criteria? (5)
-severely declining pop.
-small distribution and decline
small pop. size & decline
-very small or restricted pop.
-pop. is judged to be non-viable
When did the Us publish the first national list?
1966;
- species listed as endangered
- had legal force of Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966
- went to further than “protection”
Why did the US pass the endangered species act in 1973?
- various species of fish, wildlife & plants become extinct with econ. cgrowth
- others depleted in numbers & at danger of extinction
- these have value
- Us pledged itself to conserve fish, wildlife & plant species facing extinction
What ranking does the US have in regards to the highest number of threatened species?
2 (#1 is Ecuador)
What are the major reasons for extinction n the US? (in order)
- habitat loss/degradation
- alien species
- pollution
- overexploitation
- disease
What is the purpose of the Endangered Species act
- protect endangered species & the ecosystems on which they depend
- provide program for conservation or recovery of such species
Who is involved in the administration of the ESA
- departments of interior & commerce
- US fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS)
- National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
- see pp
How does a species get listed?
- anyone can petition to have species listed
- ESA provides specific procedures on how they are evaluated (criteria, public comment, hearing etc.)
- Species selected from candidate list (congress & prez must pass the candidates onto official list)
What are Recovery plans?
plan to get species off of endangered species list
-lay out steps required to get species back to secure status & delist species
Who prepares a recovery team?
-recovery team appointed by (interior or commerce) secretary (10-20 ind.)
What is a critical habitat?
Secretary designates a critical habitat
- areas where species found
- recommendation comes from recovery team
What are prohibited acts?
- Import species into, or export any species from, the US
- see pp
Has the ESA worked?
yes
How many species has the ESA prevented from extinction?
172
What percent of listed species are recovering at the expected rate?
90%
What percent of species are stable or improving?
68%
Who long does recovery typically take?
25 years
