Conservationists Celebrate Wildlife Protection

At parks, zoos, schools and nature refuges on May 17, Americans will join conservation organizations in celebrating Endangered Species Day. Hundreds of U.S. plant and animal species have been saved by conservation efforts in recent decades.

A California condor, the largest flying bird in North America, soars over Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge. The condor, thought to be found only in California and Arizona, has been considered endangered since 1967.

In schools, parks, zoos and nature refuges, Americans will join the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in recognizing Endangered Species Day May 17. The eighth annual recognition of wildlife conservation efforts also comes in an anniversary year for the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

“For 40 years, the Endangered Species Act has helped our nation protect the wild things and wild places,” said USFWS Director Dan Ashe. The act has saved hundreds of plant and animal species from the brink of extinction over the decades.

On Endangered Species Day, USFWS and other sponsoring organizations encourage conservation and remind people how everyday actions can help protect open spaces and disappearing wildlife. More information, and a list of events around the United States, is available at www.endangeredspeciesday.org.