This Friday marks the nineteenth annual Endangered Species Day. Established in 2006, it is a day for people to learn about, celebrate, and protect threatened and endangered plants and animals. Many places hold events to teach people about conservation, ecosystems, and why protecting endangered species is so important.
The Endangered Species Act was passed in 1973 and has since saved over 99% of the species placed under its protection. Yet the need for action remains urgent: in the past decade alone, we have lost over 460 species of plants and animals – with many more at risk. More than 46,000 species are currently threatened or endangered; without meaningful change, these numbers will continue to rise.
Here at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, we are home to four species listed as either vulnerable or endangered on the International Union for Conservation and Nature’s (IUCN) Red List.
Tigers are the most endangered. Of the nine subspecies, three—Caspian, Javan, and Bali—are extinct. The Sumatran and Malayan tigers are critically endangered, and the South China tiger is likely extinct in the wild, with no confirmed sightings in years. The remaining subspecies—Amur, Bengal, and Indochinese—are endangered or critically endangered. Altogether, tigers have lost more than 93% of their historic native range.
Lions and leopards are both considered vulnerable. One subspecies of lion, the Asiatic lion, is considered critically endangered, while the Cape and Barbary populations are extinct. Several leopard populations across North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia also face critical endangerment. These species share common threats, including habitat loss, illegal wildlife trade, human-wildlife conflict, and climate change.
Additionally, Grizzly Bears, a subspecies of the brown bear found in the continental United States, have been listed as endangered since 1975. Once widespread, they now occupy only 6% of their original range. Today, they’re only found in four regions: Yellowstone National Park, the Northern Continental Divide area (including Glacier National Park), the Selkirks region in northern Idaho, and the Cabinet-Yaak region in northeastern Idaho and northwestern Montana. Their decline is due to habitat loss, shrinking food sources from climate change, genetic isolation, and increased human-caused mortality.
Endangered Species Day is a reminder of the urgent need to protect the diversity of life on Earth. Every species—plant, animal, or fungus—plays a critical role in maintaining the health of our ecosystems. The loss of even one can trigger a chain reaction with devastating effects. Conservation is not just about saving individual species; it’s about preserving the balance of nature for future generations.
