The Endangered Species Act was signed into law on December 28, 1973
More than 1,300 species have been added to the national lists of threatened and endangered wildlife and plants.
A total of 21 U.S. species under the watch of the FWS, and an additional 14 foreign or NMFS-lead species, have been reclassified from endangered to the less critical category of threatened. Aquatic and plant species make up the bulk of these downlistings. Some recently reclassified species include the Florida population of the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus), the Gila trout (Oncorhynchus gilae), and the Missouri bladderpod (Lesquerella filiformis).
13 U.S. species for which the FWS has lead, and an additional 7 foreign or NMFS species, have been delisted due to recovery. The most recently recovered species include the (West) Virginia northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus fuscus), certain populations of the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), and the Yellowstone Distinct Population Segment of the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis).
Currently, there are 545 final recovery plans and 48 draft plans that cover 1,129 U.S species. An additional 124 U.S. species have recovery plans under development.
Data: USFWS Endangered Species Bulletin , Spring 2009
