Did you know that congressional Republicans are, at this very moment, trying to get rid of that pesky Endangered Species Act? It's true. Please do something today for endangered species, because they may not have a tomorrow. Here's your link. Go.
Arizona Conservation Organizations Celebrate success in endangered species protection and recovery
(Phoenix, AZ) The U.S. Senate has unanimously proclaimed May 11 as “Endangered Species Day,” providing for the first-ever national celebration of America’s commitment to protecting and recovering our nation’s endangered species.
Tomorrow, America will celebrate endangered species success stories, including the protection and recovery of the American bald eagle, peregrine falcon, gray wolf, grizzly bear, humpback whale and many of our nation’s wildlife, fish and plants.
In Arizona, we celebrate the return of some important species including the Mexican gray wolf, the black-footed ferret, the California condor, and the elusive jaguar. While these animals are not recovered, they are here and in our state due primarily to the Endangered Species Act and the support of the American people.
We also celebrate Pima County’s Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan, a plan to protect habitat for 55 vulnerable species including threatened and endangered species like the cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl, Chiracahua leopard frog, Huachuca water umbel, and Gila chub. This plan has gained national attention and recognition and could set a standard for future planning efforts.
The Endangered Species resolution in Congress encourages, “The people of the United States to become educated about, and aware of, the threats to species, success stories in species recovery, and the opportunity to promote species conservation worldwide.”
The resolution was introduced by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and was co-sponsored by Senators Biden (D-DE), Byrd (D-WV) Cantwell (D-WA), Chafee (R-RI), Clinton (D-NY), Crapo (R-ID), Dodd (D-CT), Feingold (D-WI), Levin (D-MI), Lieberman (D-CT), Reed (D-RI), Snowe (R-ME) and Collins (R-ME).
While there is much to celebrate, there is also still much to be done to protect the many species that are threatened and endangered in this state, country and throughout the world. Here in Arizona, we must act aggressively to protect many species, including: our imperiled native fishes — out of the 36 fish native to Arizona, one is officially extinct, two are extirpated, and 18 are listed as threatened or endangered; the 17 native plants that are threatened or endangered — Arizona cliff-rose and Arizona hedgehog cactus, among others; endangered birds like Arizona’s desert-nesting bald eagles and the Yuma clapper rail; and the nearly extinct Sonoran pronghorn, one of 39 endangered mammal, reptile and bird species on the list of endangered species in Arizona. The Mexican gray wolf has been brought back to the wild in Arizona, but is still imperiled and continues to need strong advocates for its protection and recovery.
Endangered Species Day provides an opportunity for schools, libraries, museums, zoos, botanical gardens, agencies, businesses, and community groups to educate the public about the importance of protecting endangered species and highlight everyday actions that individuals and groups can take to help protect our nation’s endangered species.
Celebrate Endangered Species Day on May 11th, 2006.
-Learn about endangered species in your area.
-Provide habitat for wildlife in your backyard.
-Find out what the Phoenix Zoo is doing to conserve endangered species both locally and around the world.
-Plan a field trip to a local park or endangered species habitat in your town.
-Participate in an endangered species habitat protection or restoration project.
-Conserve water at home so that the waters of our majestic desert rivers, like the San Pedro and the Verde, continue to flow and provide important habitat for threatened and endangered species.
-Sign the Endangered Species Act Legacy Pledge at: www.stopextinction.org/legacypledge
For more information, visit the Endangered Species Day website at: www.stopextinction.org/endangeredspeciesday
Defenders of Wildlife has developed a national website indexed by state that features local “Heroes” of state Endangered Species success stories. To learn about everyday folks doing heroic things for Arizona’s species go to: http://www.saveesa.org/learnmore/states.html
The Center for Biological Diversity has developed a website which features 100 Endangered Species Act success stories nationwide broken down by region and state. Go to www.esasuccess.org to learn more about the following species, which currently or historically existed in Arizona:
American peregrine falcon
Apache trout
Arctic peregrine falcon
Bald eagle (Continental U.S. DPS)
Black-footed ferret
California brown pelican
California condor
Gila trout
Gray wolf (Southwest DPS)
Grizzly bear (Continental U.S. DPS)
Also, see the following websites for more information on endangered species.
www.sierraclub.org/esa
http://www.sonorandesert.org/
http://www.phoenixzoo.org/
http://www.tucsonaudubon.org/azibaprogram/index.htm
www.azwild.org
http://www.maricopaaudubon.org
No comments:
Post a Comment