Guardians of Small Things
EARTH IS EXPERIENCING a biodiversity crisis. Species are being lost at an unprecedented rate as they face threats from human development, rising temperatures, pollution, new pathogens and predators, and more. In the United States alone, more than 1,300 species are currently listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Some — like the California condor or the North Atlantic right whale — have large groups working to protect them. The fate of other, lesser-known species are largely in the hands of a few individuals working at a state wildlife department, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), a conservation organization, or a university, whose sole responsibility is protecting a population against seemingly impossible yearly hurdles. What ties many of these people together is not only the focus of their work but their optimism to keep at it despite the constant challenges. In a time when it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the state of the planet, these conservationists chip away at their tasks, embracing an analytical approach and an often-mundane on-the-ground reality as they work toward their lofty goal. Meet some of the individuals holding lesser-known endangered species back from the brink of extinction in the US. Journalist Sam Fletcher profiles six of conservation’s foot-soldiers. The kind of critical work they do may now be on the chopping block, as the Trump administration undertakes an unprecedented wave of mass firings and spending freezes.
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