SEATTLE—The Endangered Species Act has saved the bald eagle, gray wolf and countless other species on the brink of extinction. Now the law itself is on the brink. The federal administration is proposing changes to four rules of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) that would severely weaken the nation’s most powerful tool for protecting precious wildlife and iconic wildlands. The public comment period is now open with only two weeks left before it closes on December 22. 

Threatened and endangered wildlife urgently need you to stand up for this bipartisan, popular and effective policy to save species—more than 80% of Americans strongly support the ESA. From western pond turtles and secretive Canada lynx to delicate Oregon silverspot butterflies and agile Pacific martens— these are among the animals Woodland Park Zoo is helping to save, and they need your help, too. 

Short Overview of the Impacts of Each Rule:

1. Require consideration of potential economic impacts of listing a species (elevating economic and political considerations over the biological needs of species). 
2. Remove protections for species listed as “threatened,” allowing potential for killing, harming or habitat destruction (recission of the “Blanket Rule”). 
3. Limit time horizon for protections of imperiled species potentially causing species to be delisted too soon (less consideration of events in the “foreseeable future” such as climate change, habitat degradation and slow declines). 
4. Limit requirements for federal agencies to coordinate on actions that may have harmful impacts on habitat and wildlife such as pipelines, dams, mining projects, grazing permits and building roads. 

Take Action Now
If you have one minute for wildlife: submit one comment. If you have a few minutes for wildlife: submit all four comments. Public comment period closes on December 22, so the time to act is now. Go to www.oregonzoo.org/news/defend-endangered-species-act for help with talking points and tips, and how and where to submit public comments.  

“Saving wildlife is at the core of Woodland Park Zoo’s mission, and the Endangered Species Act has enabled countless species to survive, recover and thrive,” said Dr. Robert Long, a carnivore scientist and Director of the Living Northwest Program at Woodland Park Zoo. “Without the Endangered Species Act, numerous species would have been lost forever. They survive today thanks to federal protection. We need to preserve these protections for current and future threatened and endangered species.”