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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declared over 20 species extinct, including birds, fish, and plants.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Servicereleased a proposalto move 23 species from the Federal Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants to a list of extinct species. According to the organization, they decided on the proposal after reviewing scientific and commercial information.
The newly extinct species named include the ivory-billed woodpecker, Bachman’s warbler, little Mariana fruit bat, and several species of mussels. The species join the list of nearly 650 U.S. species said to be lost, according to theNational Wildlife Federation.
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They also urged Congress to passThe Extinction Crisis Emergency Act, which would urge President Biden to declare the global wildlife extinction crisis a national emergency.
A2019 reportfrom the United Nations revealed that one million plant and animal species were on the verge of extinction, with scientists noting that the “accelerating” rates should prompt governments worldwide to implement environmental policies and address climate change, which is a “direct result of human activity.”
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“We’re at risk of losing hundreds more species because of a lack of urgency,” Curry continued in the release. “The Endangered Species Act is the most powerful tool we have to end extinction, but the sad reality is that listing still comes too late for most species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service badly needs to reform its process for protecting species to avoid further extinctions, and it needs the funding to do so. We can’t let bureaucratic delays cause more extinctions.”
Scientists from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service noted that there is alow possibilitythat some of the 23 species listed in their recent proposal remain active but have gone undetected.
source: people.com
