In a significant announcement, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service confirmed the extinction of 21 species, including birds, a bat, and several mussels. These species are being delisted from the Endangered Species Act due to their unfortunate demise.
The decision to remove them from protection under the ESA came after exhaustive assessments of the best available scientific data. It was determined that these had reached a point of no return, a stark reminder of the importance of preserving imperilled them before it’s too late.
ACT PROACTIVELY
Martha Williams, the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, emphasized the need to act proactively to prevent species decline. “Federal protection came too late to reverse their decline,” she said, “and it’s a wake-up call on the importance of conserving imperilled species before it’s too late.”
This development is particularly poignant as the Endangered Species Act marks its 50th anniversary this year. The Act, designed to be a safety net preventing extinction, has been highly effective, saving 99% of listed species from the brink of disappearance.
DEPRIVING THIER HABITATS
However, the extinction of these 21 species underscores how human activities, such as habitat loss, overuse, and the introduction of invasive species and diseases, can drive species to their demise. It serves as a poignant reminder of the ESA’s vital role in their preservation.
While the delisting proposal included the ivory-billed woodpecker, it is still under analysis for a final decision. In the case of one, Phyllostegia glabra var. lanaiensis, a Hawaiian perennial herb, the proposal was withdrawn due to new surveys identifying potentially suitable habitats.
The final rule to delist these 21 species due to extinction will be published in the Federal Register, effective 30 days after publication. This development highlights the need for ongoing conservation efforts to prevent irreversible declines and extinctions.
The 21 delisted are:
Little Mariana fruit bat (mammal – Guam)
Bachman’s warbler (bird – Florida, South Carolina)
Bridled white-eye (bird – Florida)
Kauai akialoa (bird – Hawaii)
Kauai nukupuu (bird – Hawaii)
Kauaʻi ʻōʻō (bird – Hawaii)
Large Kauai thrush (bird – Hawaii)
Maui ākepa (bird – Hawaii)
Maui nukupuʻu (bird – Hawaii)
Molokai creeper (bird – Hawaii)
Po`ouli (bird – Hawaii)
San Marcos gambusia (fish – Texas)
Scioto madtom (fish – Ohio)
Flat pigtoe (mussel – Alabama, Mississippi)
Southern acornshell (mussel – Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee)
Stirrupshell (mussel – Alabama, Mississippi)
Upland combshell (mussel – Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee)
Green-blossom pearly mussel (Tennessee, Virginia)
Tubercled-blossom pearly mussel (8 states)
Turgid-blossom pearly mussel (Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee)
Yellow-blossom pearly mussel (Alabama, Tennessee)