Endangered Species Act(ESA)

Law

16 U.S.C. § 1531 et seq.  | (1973)

obligated the government to protect all animal and plant life threatened with extinction, including in this category “endangered” species, defined as any species “which is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range,” and “threatened” species, defined as any species “which is likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range.” It also provided for the drawing up of lists of such species and promoted the protection of critical habitats (areas designated as critical to the conservation of a species).