The ivory-billed woodpecker – this unforgettable and beautiful bird, affectionately known as the "main god bird", has been sought out by birdwatchers for years, but to no avail. It is said that people who were lucky enough to find it have blurted out its name. Even biologists who have studied birds have also cried.
These famous birds once flew from the coastal plains of North Carolina to the swampy waters of Texas, but their numbers began to decline in the 1800s after being shot by private collectors and cap makers.
In September 2021, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed removing 23 extinct species from the endangered and threatened wildlife and plant list. The list includes 11 species of birds, 8 species of freshwater mussels, two species of fish, one species of bat and one species of plant.
Among these extinct birds is the Hawaiian candied bird, whose song is now only present on records. "Each of these 23 species represents the world's natural heritage and the permanent loss of biodiversity worldwide," Bridget Fahey, director of the Fish and Wildlife Service's Conservation and Taxonomy Service, told The New York Times. "It's a sobering reminder that extinction is the result of changes in the anthropogenic environment."
The announcement provides a poignant glimpse into the worsening future of global warming, threatening the extinction of millions of species. These animals are the latest victims of habitat destruction and biodiversity loss, and they are becoming extinct faster than new conservation measures can save them.
These creatures also need to be verified by many parties, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has not easily declared extinction. There will be a 60-day public comment period where scientists and community members can provide information before wildlife services make a final ruling on extinction.
By the time the Endangered Species Act came into force in 1973, many of these species might have been endangered, so it was illegal to "harass, injure, chase, hunt, shoot, injure, kill, trap, capture, or collect" at risk. Maybe not much protection can save them.
In the nearly five years since the bill was passed, only 11 species on the list have gone extinct, and it has successfully protected most of the endangered species. The Endangered Species Act has become a model for other countries to develop their own conservation legislation and has been praised for saving bald eagles, gray wolves and alligators.
Recently, U.S. President Joe Biden vowed to preserve nearly a third of the country's land and waters to protect wildlife and ensure that all Americans have access to nature.
"With climate change and shrinking natural area, more and more species are on the verge of extinction," U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland told CNN, "And now is the time for an active, collaborative, and innovative effort to save America's wildlife." ”