The Endangered Species Act Goes On And On

What do Preble’s meadow jumping mice, California’s delta smelt and polar bears have in common? They are all listed as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). You may have heard of some of their predecessors who paved the way for present day activities under ESA; the northern spotted owl, the snail darter, the Stephen’s kangaroo rat. Want to read about others? Check M. David Stirling’s book, Green Gone Wild. (1)

The Endangered Species Act (1973) was promulgated on the assumption that many and various species of plants and animals in the world are going extinct, and the Federal Government had to step in to do something about it. Many dire reports warned of mass extinctions, a loss of ‘bio-diversity,’ and the pending collapse of ecosystems worldwide. Although a lot of noise was, and still is, made about mass extinctions, the data suggest otherwise. (2)