Join Us in Defending the Endangered Species Act
The Federal Administration is proposing a rule change to the Endangered Species Act (ESA), removing habitat protection for endangered species.
>> If this were to pass, habitat loss - the very cause of most endangered species' endangerment - would reset to pre-1970s levels.
The original text of the ESA in 1973, in determining whether a species is threatened or endangered, lists under Section 4 “the present or threatened destruction, modification, or curtailment of its habitat or range” as the first factor to be considered.
San Diego Bird Alliance monitors populations and restores and enhances habitat for a number of endangered birds in San Diego County. In fact, helping save these species is the dominant reason our members devote their time to our organization. This proposed definition change would seriously affect local species like the Ridgway’s Rail, California Least Tern, Belding’s Savannah Sparrow, Western Snowy Plover, and Western Monarch, as well as the proposal for listing the Burrowing Owl. Learn more about these beloved bird species in the blog posts linked below.
The introduction of a change in the definition of "harm" is counter-intuitive to our mission and our understanding of the primary threat to a multitude of species. It would gut the ESA, which is currently the strongest legal protection for endangered species in the world. Since the enactment of the ESA in 1973 the act has saved hundreds of species from extinction, including the iconic Bald Eagle which was taken off the list thanks to its protected status and national conservation efforts.
Support National Audubon's advocacy, too by Adding your support to Audubon's efforts to oppose the harmful attempt to weaken the Endangered Species Act here.
San Diego Bird Alliance has also signed on to the National Audubon effort to oppose the harmful proposal to undermine the Endangered Species Act.
How the Endangered Species Act Affects Our Local Birds
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The Least Bell’s Vireo was once on the brink of extinction. Its survival remains closely tied to the legal protections granted by the Endangered Species Act.
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Bald Eagles are one of the nation’s great recovery stories, and the Endangered Species Act quickly demonstrated its value in helping to facilitate the bird’s survival.
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The smallest species of tern, they have the unfortunate distinction of being one of the first species officially listed under the Endangered Species Act in 1973.
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Learn more about our most elusive and endangered bird species, the Light-footed Ridgway’s Rail.
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Listed as threatened under the ESA, the Western Snowy Plover continues to rely heavily on the legal safeguards and habitat protections the Act ensures.
