What is the Endangered Species Act?

The Endangered Species Act is a federal law in the United States that protects the species that are listed under it. It protects these species by banning or setting standards for hunting or fishing them, logging or deforestation in their habitat, and other things that endanger them. Many vulnerable, endangered, and even critically endangered species are not listed, or used to be listed, but were removed. For example, the monarch butterfly, lesser prairie chicken, peñasco least chipmunk, and saola are all vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species, but they are not on the Endangered Species Act.

Peñasco Least Chipmunk

Peñasco least chipmunks (Tamias minimus atristriatus), found in Texas, New Mexico, and other southern American states, should be added to the Endangered Species Act. Peñasco least chipmunks spread seeds, which help more plants and trees to grow and spread a type of fungus called mycorrhiza, which is vital for water and nutrient absorption in plants and trees. The peñasco least chipmunk is proposed for listing. They are endangered because of deforestation and logging in their habitat and of climate change. The Endangered Species Act can protect them by setting standards for logging and deforestation in their habitat.

Lesser Prairie-Chicken

Another endangered species that is not protected by the Endangered Species Act is the lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus). Protecting the lesser prairie-chicken also protects many other prairie species, like the dunes sagebrush lizard. The lesser prairie-chicken is also culturally important, because its call and spring mating dance inspired native American customs and town festivals. The lesser prairie-chicken is proposed for listing. The reason the lesser prairie-chicken is endangered is energy farms and crops that take up a lot of space. Energy farms and crops are very important, but they should be made in eco-friendly ways. The lesser prairie chicken’s population declined by about 97 percent, and only about 16 percent of the original population is left. The lesser prairie-chicken is listed as vulnerable and decreasing on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) red list. The Endangered Species

Act can protect the lesser prairie-chicken by setting standards for how much space energy farms and crops can take up. Agricultural and electricity farms and companies can use technologies that help energy farms and crops affect wildlife and their habitats less, while still producing enough food and electricity.