Endangered Species Day is recognized annually in May and strives to educate the public about these animals, highlighting the role they play in their native ecosystems. Endangered species are important to study and conserve because all animals play an important role in the ecosystem they live in and that cannot be replaced. This year is special because Endangered Species Day also falls on the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act which is a fundamental piece of legislation in the conservation of not only animals, but their habitats as well. This act established legal protection for fish, wildlife, and plants that are listed as threatened or endangered. This law helped to set up plans for population conservation and establish funding for the protection of these species. This can include funding and plans for species monitoring, conservation efforts, and/or habitat restoration.
Partial List of Protected Species in Florida:
- Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus)
- Florida Manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris)
- Florida Panther (Puma concolor)
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Kemp’s Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii)
- Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
While it may seem dire to list all these endangered species, it is important to note the work that has been done to help to help endangered species in general. There are several cases here in Florida of work that has been done to help improve the population and conservation status of species that has been successful thanks to work being done every day. Species like the American Alligator, Florida Panther, and manatee species (among others) have had success stories with reversing population decrease thanks to active study and work being done to educate the public and improving the habitat that these animals live in. The American Alligator specifically has come back so successfully that it was able to have its endangered status removed which has not happened to many animal species. This is thanks to active study and conservation efforts.
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