Officials say their loss was partly caused by human activity.
The Fish and Wildlife Service declared 22 animals and one plant extinct, removing the species from the national endangered list after a rigorous review. The list includes 11 birds, eight freshwater mussels, two fish, a bat, and a plant.
They include the ivory-billed woodpecker, a yellow-breasted warbler, the flat pigtoe (mussel), several birds native to Hawaii, and the San Marcos gambusia, a Texas river fish.
Since the passage of the Endangered Species Act in 1973, 54 species have been successfully recovered from protected status. An additional 56 species have had their status lessened from endangered to threatened. Federal officials reiterated the importance of the Endangered Species Act.
“With climate change and natural area loss pushing more and more species to the brink, now is the time to lift up proactive, collaborative, and innovative efforts to save America’s wildlife,” Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in a statement.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For officials of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as the conservation efforts continue to protect endangered species.
- For Secretary Haaland as she leads her department in protecting the natural environment that God has given us to enjoy and care for.
Sources: Daily Caller, Axios
