The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service revealed on Monday that 21 species, including birds, a bat, and various mussels, have been officially declared extinct. These species were previously listed on the national roster of threatened and endangered species.
Among the extinct species are eight Hawaiian honeycreeper birds, the Bridled white-eye bird of Guam, the Mariana fruit bat of Guam, the San Marcos gambusia (a one-inch long fish from Texas), the Scioto madtom (a small catfish exclusive to Big Darby Creek in Ohio), and the Bachman’s warbler, a black and yellow songbird found in several Southern states and Cuba.
Additionally, eight freshwater mussels were declared extinct, including the flat pigtoe, green-blossom pearly mussel, southern acornshell, stirrupshell, tubercled-blossom pearly mussel, turgid-blossom pearly mussel, upland combshell, and yellow-blossom pearly mussel.
The determination of extinction was based on criteria such as the detectability of the species, adequacy of survey efforts, and the time since the last detection, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
These species were initially proposed for removal from the endangered and threatened list in 2021, having not been sighted since as early as 1899 and as late as 2004.
The Centre for Biological Diversity reports that climate change, pollution, and invasive species contribute to species loss, with climate change effects contributing to 39% of amphibian species moving closer to extinction between 2004 and 2022. Moreover, approximately 3 billion birds have suffered declines in North America since 1970.
Despite these challenges, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service emphasizes that 99% of the animals on the endangered and threatened list have not reached extinction. Notably, 54 have been removed from the list due to recovery efforts, and 56 have been downgraded from endangered to threatened.
Director Martha Williams highlighted the importance of conserving imperiled species, stating, “Federal protection came too late to reverse these species’ decline, and it’s a wake-up call on the importance of conserving imperiled species before it’s too late.”
The extinction of the Hawaiian honeycreepers was attributed to habitat destruction through deforestation for development and agriculture, compounded by the introduction of non-native mosquitoes spreading avian pox and avian malaria. Other species faced various threats, such as invasive species, habitat destruction, and overconsumption.
As the U.S. commemorates 50 years of the Endangered Species Act, the call for urgent conservation efforts underscores the Act’s purpose as a safety net to prevent species from journeying toward extinction, with the ultimate goal of recovery to eliminate the need for ongoing protection.
Source: NPR NEWS
