Friend, today is Endangered Species Day, a time for us to recognize the incredible animals fighting for survival and the urgent need to protect them.

From the Monarch butterfly to the gray wolf, from sea turtles to Florida panthers, thousands of species are at risk of disappearing forever. Human activity — habitat destruction, climate change, pollution, and overexploitation — is driving the largest mass extinction in modern history. We are losing species faster than at any point in the past 10 million years, and we must act now to save them.

These creatures aren't just beautiful or iconic, they are essential. Every species plays a role in the web of life. When we lose one, we don't just lose that animal; we unravel ecosystems that humans and all life depend on.

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) is our most powerful tool to prevent extinction. It has saved 99% of listed species from disappearing. But it's under attack.

Wildlife habitat loss is the biggest driver of extinction for wildlife. But we're opening more land to drilling, mining, and clear-cutting.

Climate change is a major factor in biodiversity loss worldwide. But we're shutting down renewable energy projects and filling the pockets of fossil fuel corporations.

Without strong protections, more species will be lost.

We must act now. Endangered Species Day is not just a moment to reflect — it's a call to protect what remains.

Make a gift to the Sierra Club today to support our fight for endangered wildlife and the wild places they call home.