Endangered Species

Many of these laws are controversial. Typical areas of controversy include: criteria for placing a species on the endangered species list, and criteria for removing a species from the list once its population has recovered; whether restrictions on land development constitute a "taking" of land by the government, and the related question of whether private landowners should be compensated for the loss of use of their land; and obtaining reasonable exceptions to protection laws.

A listing as an endangered species can backfire, as it makes a species more valuable and more desirable for collectors and poachers.

Endangered mammals:

• Chinese River Dolphin
• Elephant
• Giant pangolin
• Golden Marmoset
• Gorilla
• Steller Sea Lion
• Orangutan
• Tiger

Endangered birds:

• Magdalena Tinamou (Crypturellus saltuarius)
• Kalinowski's Tinamou (Nothoprocta kalinowskii)
• Alaotra Grebe (Tachybaptus rufolavatus)
• Junin Grebe (Podiceps taczanowskii)
• Amsterdam Albatross (Diomedea amsterdamensis)
• Chatham Albatross (Thalassarche eremita)
• Zino's Petrel (Pterodroma madeira)
• Néné (Branta sandvicensis)
• California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus)
• Ridgway's Hawk (Buteo ridgwayi)
• Eskimo Curlew (Numenius borealis)
• Slender-billed Curlew (Numenius tenuirostris)
• Jerdon's Courser (Rhinoptilus bitorquatus)
• Chinese Crested Tern (Sterna bernsteinii)
• Kakapo (Strigops habroptilus)
• Mauritius Parakeet (Psittacula eques)
• Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii)
• Ivory-billed Woodpecker (probably extinct)
• Gurney's Pitta (Pitta gurneyi)
• Sao Tome Grosbeak (Neospiza concolor)
• Mauritius Fody (Foudia rubra)
• Bali Starling (Leucospar rothschildi)
• Hawaiian Crow (Corvus hawaiiensis)
• Lesser White-fronted Goose (Anser erythropus)

Endangered reptiles:

• Ripley's Turtle

Endangered amphibians:

• Palmate newt (Triturus helvetica)
• Israel painted frog (Discoglossus nigriventer)
• Italian spade-footed toad
• Desert slender salamander (Batrachoseps aridus)

Endangered plants

About 6% of the 300,000 identified species are endangered due to overcollection or destruction of habitat, for example. Pollinator decline is also a factor for some species.

• Baishanzu fir (Abies beshanzuensis), southeast China, three trees known on an isolated mountain summit
• Pinus squamata, southwest China, about 20 trees known
• Saguaro cactus (Carnegia gigantea) of North America, due to overcollection
• Chilean wine palm (Juba chilensis), due to land clearance
• African violet (Saintpaulia ionantha), due to forest clearance
• King of the Paphs Orchid (Paphiopedilum rothschildianum) of Asia, due to overcollection
• Madonna lily (Lilium candidum) of Europe, due to overcollection
• Lobster claw (Clianthus puniceus) of Australia, due to overgrazing.

See also

• Convention on Biological Diversity
• Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna
• International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling
• Extinct birds

Referenced By