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On Monday, October 16, The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) declared that 21 species would be removed from its Endangered Species Act. But sadly, it isn't because they've prospered so much that they aren't endangered anymore; it's because they're now declared extinct. The delisted species include one mammal, ten birds, two fish, and eight mussels.
Netizens were heartbroken by the USFWS announcement. People called it a sad day for biodiversity and hung on to the hope that at least a few of these animals might still be alive somewhere. Most users thought manufactured problems like pollution and biodiversity destruction led to the grim announcement. One X user commented:
Netizens saddened by the extinction of 21 species; Blames humans for grim revelation
Netizens were deeply distressed by the grim revelation. Many were angry at the human race for the continued destruction of animal habitats and the lack of concern for the fauna. People said that the extinction of these animals was a shameful achievement for the human population.
Some netizens feared a mass extinction was on the way due to continuous disturbances made in natural biodiversity. Some people hoped their DNA was preserved or the animals still existed elsewhere.
The delisting of species labeled as a wake-up call
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service put out a press release on October 16, declaring that 21 species of animals have been delisted from the Endangered Species Act due to their extinction. The confirmation was made through "rigorous reviews of the best available science." Most of these species were enlisted in the 70s and 80s when they were already in scarce numbers or even extinct.
Service Director Martha Williams stated that the delisting was a wake-up call. She said in the press release,
"Federal protection came too late to reverse these species’ decline, and it’s a wake-up call on the importance of conserving imperiled species before it’s too late,"
She said,
"As we commemorate 50 years of the Endangered Species Act this year, we are reminded of the Act’s purpose to be a safety net that stops the journey toward extinction. The ultimate goal is to recover these species, so they no longer need the Act’s protection."
Initially, the delisting of 23 species was proposed in September 2021. However, since then, one has been removed from the delisting, and another is still being analyzed. A type of Hawaiian perennial herb in the mint family without a common name was removed as newer surveys identified a potential habitat for it. In comparison, the delisting of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker is still being analyzed.
The press release points out human activities that led to the extinction of these species.
"The circumstances of each also underscore how human activity can drive species decline and extinction by contributing to habitat loss, overuse, and the introduction of invasive species and diseases."
The only mammal on the list is the Little Mariana fruit bat, a type of flying fox that lives in Guam, which was listed in 1984 and last seen in 1968. The birds in the list include Bachman’s warbler, Bridled white-eye, Kauai akialoa, Kauai nukupuu, Kauaʻi ʻōʻō, Large Kauai thrush, Maui ākepa, Maui nukupuʻu, Molokai creeper, and Po`ouli.
The Po`ouli was last seen as recently as 2004 as compared to the Kauai nukupuu, which was last seen as late as 1899. Apart from the birds, the list includes two kinds of fish, San Marcos gambusia and Scioto madtom, along with ten mollusk species.
