Recovery Planning

The Ultimate Goal

The ultimate goal of the Endangered Species Act is the recovery of endangered and threatened species and the ecosystems on which they depend.

Recovery Planning

The first step in recovery of a listed species is the preparation of a draft recovery plan. This is done by a team that includes Service biologists, outside species experts and other interested parties.

Once the draft is prepared, we request public comment. We post notices about draft recovery plans in the Federal Register. We also publish news releases. We welcome your comments.

Recovery in Action

Once a plan has been approved, we go into action to recover the species. This includes protecting and often restoring the habitat in which the species can thrive. Final and draft recovery plans are available from the Threatened and Endangered Species System (TESS).

See our Partners web page for information about funding and assistance for recovery partnerships.

Recovery Success

The Endangered Species Act requires that we review each listed species at least once every 5 years. We decide whether the species has recovered or need a status change (threatened to endangered or vice versa). See our 5-Year Review Page for more information.

When a species has recovered, we are able to remove it from the endangered species list. We call this delisting.