According to the US Chinese Network, the US government announced on the 29th that 23 species of wild animals such as ivory-billed woodpeckers will be declared extinct and will be removed from the list of endangered species.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) said: "For the species proposed today to be delisted, the protection of the (Endangered Species Act) came too late, and most species are either extinct, functionally extinct, or the numbers are already declining sharply when they are on the list." ”
Wildlife officials giving up hopes for plants or animals is a rare move, but U.S. government scientists say they have gone to great lengths to find the 23 animals. Also declared extinct are the black-breasted insect warbler, two species of freshwater fish, eight species of southeastern freshwater mussels, and 11 species of fish from Hawaii and the Pacific Ocean.
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, "Every situation highlights the impact of human activity. Habitat loss, human overuse of natural resources and the introduction of invasive species and diseases have reduced and eventually gone extinct. The growing impacts of climate change are expected to further exacerbate these threats and their interactions. ”
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Harland further emphasized the need for action to prevent species extinctions and protect biodiversity. "With climate change and dwindling natural areas on the brink of extinction, it's time for an active, collaborative and innovative effort to save America's wildlife," she said in a statement on the 29th. The Endangered Species Act, which is very effective in preventing species extinction, stimulates action to protect these species and their habitats before they are classified as endangered or threatened. ”
"We will continue to ensure that states, tribes, private landowners, and federal agencies have the tools they need to protect America's biodiversity and natural heritage," Haland added. ”
The USFWS also said proposals to remove the 23 species from the list would be open for public comment until the end of December.
According to its press release, North America has lost nearly 3 billion birds since 1970.
According to the American Bird Protection Society, ivory-beaked woodpeckers have never been considered a common bird because they inhabit southern swamps with plenty of space and food.
Uncontrolled logging began to wipe out its habitat, and the woodpecker became increasingly rare. The wildlife conservation society says the bird is also often shot by hunters and collectors, which could also be one of the reasons for its extinction.