Ecological Services
Conserving the Nature of America


Our Programs
The Endangered Species Program in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the federal program responsible for administering the Endangered Species Act. The purpose of the ESA is to protect and recover imperiled species and the ecosystems upon which they depend. As of September 2012, the Endangered Species Act protects 1400 domestic species and 614 foreign species.

We work with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries and many other partners to prevent species from going extinct, help stabilize species populations and protect important habitat, and ultimately help those species increase their population size and reduce the threats to their existence so that they can be removed from ESA protection. View the Endangered Species website
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has many programs implemented at the field level, that promote the protection, conservation, and restoration of our nation's fish and wildlife resources. The activities implemented under these programs focus on maintaining quality of fish and wildlife habitats. This includes providing expert habitat conservation planning and technical assistance on issues such as renewable energy development and large scale transportation projects, mapping, inventorying, and monitoring the nation's wetlands, and addressing the data needs through the formulation of resource data bases. View the Habitat and Resource Conservation website
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the main federal agency dedicated to protecting wildlife and their habitat from pollution's harmful effects, helping to create a healthy world for all living things. Contaminants specialists review environmental documents, legislation, regulations, and permits and licenses with pollution potential to ensure that harmful effects on fish, wildlife, and plants are avoided or minimized. Service environmental contaminant specialists also conduct field studies to determine sources of pollution, to investigate pollution effects on fish and wildlife and their habitat, and to investigate fish and wildlife die-offs. The data collected in contaminant assessments is often used to secure compensation for resources lost or degraded by hazardous waste releases or spills. View the Environmental Quality website
Last updated: May 20, 2013