Back from the Brink:Ten success stories celebrating the

Endangered Species Act at 40

Habitat protection and captive breeding programs have rebuilt Hawaii’s ne ne goose population from

the brink of extinction in the mid-1900s to approximately 1,300 individuals in 2013. Still listed under

the Endangered Species Act, the ne ne is also protected by collaborative programs with landowners

designed to bring the goose to full recovery. Photo Credit: USFWS

Nene Goose

American Peregrine Falcon

Photo Credit: Kevin Cole

The U.S. population of peregrine falcons dropped from an estimated 3,900 in the mid-1940s to

just 324 individuals in 1975, and the falcon was considered locally extinct in the eastern United

States. Their comeback has been truly remarkable—today, there are approximately 3,500

nesting pairs.

El Segundo Blue Butterfly

Photo Credit: Stonebird

By 1984, only about 500 of these butterflies remained. The butterfly has rebounded

significantly, with an astonishing 20,000 percent comeback recorded in 2012. The resurgence

of the El Segundo blue butterfly is an inspiring story of the Endangered Species Act’s ability to

protect critical habitat.

Robbins’ Cinquefoil

Photo Credit: Doug Weihrauch - AMC

Although it was once close to extinction, today the original Robbins’ cinquefoil population on a

small, rugged site in New Hampshire’s White Mountains numbers about 14,000 plants, with

1,500 to 2,000 flowering individuals. In a remarkable win for the Endangered Species Act,

Robbins’ cinquefoil was officially delisted in 2002.

Bald Eagle

Photo Credit: USFWS

By the early 1960s, the count of nesting bald eagles plummeted to about 480 in the lower 48

states. Today, with some 14,000 breeding pairs in the skies over North America, the bald eagle

endures as a testament to the strength and undeniable moral correctness of the Endangered

Species Act.

Southern Sea Otter

Photo Credit: Mathieu Fenniak

Sea otters once numbered in the thousands before the fur trade and other factors reduced

their numbers to about 50 in 1914. Listed under the Endangered Species Act in 1977, this

remarkable species rebounded to approximately 2,800 individuals between 2005 and 2010.

Humpback Whale

Photo Credit: Srabin

The whaling industry dramatically depleted humpback populations from a high of more than

125,000; by the mid-1960s, only 1,200 individuals swam in the North Pacific. That tiny

population of humpbacks has swelled to more than 22,000 members today due to a strong

recovery program implemented under the Endangered Species Act.

American Alligator

Photo Credit: Jerzy Strzelecki

By the 1950s, the American alligator had been hunted and traded to near-extinction. Captive

breeding and strong enforcement of habitat protections and hunting regulations have

contributed to its resurgence. Alligators now number around 5 million from North Carolina

through Texas, with the largest populations in Louisiana and Florida.

Brown Pelican

Photo Credit: Lisay

Brown pelicans were dramatically impacted by habitat destruction and DDT. Driven to extinction in

Louisiana, pelicans have made a dramatic comeback under the Endangered Species Act; in 2004,

the population in Louisiana numbered 16,500 nesting pairs. Thanks to ambitious reintroduction

programs, the brown pelican was fully delisted 2009.

Green Sea Turtle

Photo Credit: TheBrockenInaGlory

In 1990, fewer than fifty green sea turtles were documented nesting at the Archie Carr National

Wildlife Refuge on Florida’s east coast. This 20-mile stretch of beach hosted more than 10,000

green sea turtle nests in 2013, making this one of the greatest conservation success stories of

our time.

Report developed by

in partnership with

Cover photo credit: Doug Lloyd