John,

When it comes to pulling struggling species back from the brink of extinction, the Endangered Species Act is our safety net. The act's protections are so effective that more than 99% of species listed have avoided extinction.1

Here are three species that are either protected under the Endangered Species Act or are under consideration for protection:

Standing at nearly five feet tall, whooping cranes are the tallest bird in North America. These stately cranes undergo an annual 2,400 mile migration between Canada and Texas, stopping in the wetlands of Nebraska's Platte River Valley for resting, roosting and feeding.2

Hunting, development and agriculture once decimated whooping crane populations. In the 1930s, only 18 were left in the wild. But thanks to protections under the Endangered Species Act, populations today are small but stable.3 Conservationists worry, however, that opening the Platte River Valley for development will disrupt their breeding areas and put the species at risk once again.

Black-footed ferrets of Colorado and Wyoming are the only ferrets native to the Americas. These adorable little mammals have distinctive black masks across their faces; they have black-tipped tails, too.4

Drilling in the Red Desert disrupted their habitat and decimated their populations. But thanks to the Endangered Species Act, there are now about 350 black-footed ferrets living in the wild today.5 Further oil and gas development in the Red Desert could have disastrous consequences on their slowly rebounding population.

Eastern hellbenders are monstrous salamanders that can weigh up to four pounds and grow to up to 29 inches long.6 Hellbenders are fully aquatic and spend their entire lives underwater. As such, they are highly sensitive to changes in water flow and quality. When water is clean and clear, Eastern hellbenders can be found in mountain streams throughout southern Appalachia.

Logging and mining have had a substantial impact on water quality in the area, and hellbender populations have taken a hit. Although they are not currently considered endangered, proposals to add them to the list are being reviewed.

The once broadly supported Endangered Species Act could soon face fundamental changes.7

Proposals to weaken protections are being considered in Congress, and adopting them could undermine the slow but steady progress protected species have made. With you standing by our side, we here at Environment America will continue to build support for the laws that protect wildlife.

Thank you,

Lisa Frank
Executive Director

P.S. Environment America is committed to advocating for all vulnerable wildlife, and we're not giving up on endangered species. Will you donate today?

1. Steve Blackledge, "The places endangered species call home could lose vital protections," Environment America, June 18, 2025.
2. "Whooping Crane (Grus americana)," Texas Parks & Wildlife, last accessed July 13, 2025.
3. "2023 Wintering Whooping Crane Count," United States Fish & Wildlife Service, last accessed July 13. 2025.
4. "Black-footed ferret," U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, last accessed July 13, 2025.
5. Steve Blackledge, "The places endangered species call home could lose vital protections," Environment America, June 18, 2025.
6. "Eastern hellbender," Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, last accessed July 13, 2025.
7. "Rescinding the definition of "Harm" under the Endangered Species Act," Federal Register, last accessed July 13, 2025.

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