Endangered Species Act Under Assault

Hastily-Approved House Bill Would Cripple Landmark Wildlife Protections

Posted: 29-Sep-2005; Updated: 24-Oct-2005

The grey wolf is one of many endangered species that has benefited from the Endangered Species Act.

The fight to save America's endangered species now depends on the Senate. In late September, the U.S. House of Representatives hastily passed a bill that would cripple the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the 32-year-old safety net that has saved the bald eagle, the grey wolf and other rare species.

A cautious approach needed in Senate

In 1978, the Supreme Court halted construction of a pork-barrel dam project in Tennessee because it would harm endangered fish. Angry members of the House passed a bevy of crippling amendments to the ESA by a vote of 384 to 12. The Senate insisted on a focused effort to fix the few problems that really existed. It rejected virtually everything the House had done. The Endangered Species Act emerged largely unscathed.

Because the Senate stood strong, whooping crane numbers have increased ten-fold, California condors soar in the Grand Canyon, wolves roam in Yellowstone, and black-footed ferrets populate the Great Plains. Bald eagles have increased from a few hundred pairs to over 8,000 pairs in the continental United States. If successes such as these are to continue, the Senate must again reject the hasty overreaching of the House.

Ignoring successes, which take time and sustained effort

Opponents of the ESA claim it fails to help species -- claims not supported by facts. When President Nixon signed the ESA into law in 1973, the government understood that severely depleted species cannot recover overnight. It requires sustained efforts over prolonged periods. The whooping crane, one of the best-known endangered creatures then and now, shows that time is needed for recovery.

The whooping crane's population hit rock bottom in 1941 with only 15 birds. Between 1941 and 1973 concerted conservation efforts involving U.S. and Canadian cooperation, state and federal governments, captive breeding, a breeding-ground refuge in Texas and a sustained advocacy campaign by the National Audubon Society helped boost its population to 48. Since the passage of the ESA in 1973, the whooping crane population has grown nearly tenfold, to 468 birds.

In 1973, those in Congress familiar with the crane's story understood that ensuring the bird’s future would require more decades of sustained effort. The dramatic recovery since the ESA took effect demonstrates its effectiveness and the need for sustained efforts. Though still endangered, the ESA is helping it survive so it can eventually thrive. (Read about other species whose restoration is an ongoing success. [PDF])

Adopt a species – You can help show that recovery is possible without overhauling the ESA. Your support can help bring 15 endangered species back from the brink of extinction. See the recovery plans and pitch in.
More information on the Endangered Species Act