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Contaminants -
Ecological
Toxicology Partners for Fish and Wildlife |
The
U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service’s Endangered Species Program (http://endangered.fws.gov) is
dedicated to working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance
fish,
wildlife, and plants and their habitats, and reverse the alarming trend
of human-caused extinctions that threatened the ecosystems we all share. Why
should
we
be concerned about the loss of species? Extinction is a natural
process. Normally, new species develop through a process known as
speciation at about the same rate that other species become
extinct. However, because of air and water pollution,
over-hunting, extensive deforestation, the loss of wetlands, and other
man-induced impacts, extinctions are now occurring at a rate that far
exceed the speciation rate. Each extinction diminishes the
diversity and complexity of life on Earth. The loss of a single
species may seem insignificant. However, all life on Earth is
interconnected. If enough "living connections" are broken, entire
ecosystems could fail and the balance of nature could be forever
altered. The
United
States Congress recognized that many of our Nation's valuable plant and
wildlife resources have been lost and that others are imperiled.
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (pdf
266KB)
provides a means to help preserve these species and their habitats for
future generations. An “endangered” species is one that is in
danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its
range. A “threatened” species is one that is likely to become
endangered in the foreseeable future. Endangered and
Threatened Species -
The Service maintains a list, organized by county,
of threatened, endangered, and candidate species and federal species of
concern native to North Carolina [also available without frames]. A complete list of
North Carolina's threatened and endangered species is available in pdf format (470KB), as well as .xls and ISO-standard .ods formats. Species Descriptions - Threatened and endangered species, their status, range and habitat.
Interagency
Coordination and Consultation
- Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act directs all federal agencies
to use their existing authorities to conserve threatened and endangered
species and, in consultation with the
Service, to ensure that their actions do not jeopardize listed species
or destroy or adversely modify critical habitat. Section 7
applies
to the management of federal lands as well as other federal actions
that
may affect listed species, such as federal approval of private
activities through the issuance of federal funding, permits, licenses,
or other actions. Current Recovery Initiatives
Do
you need additional help? Questions related to the Service's
endangered species program or other program activities can be addressed
to the appropriate staff from our Asheville or Raleigh Field
Offices. Other Sites of Interest |
Return to:
North Carolina Ecological Services Home Page
