MEASURING THE OF THE ENDANGEREDSuccess SPECIES ACT Recovery Trends in the Northeastern United States Measuring the Success of the Endangered Species Act: Recovery Trends in the Northeastern United States A Report by the Center for Biological Diversity © February 2006 Author: Kieran Suckling, Policy Director:
[email protected], 520.623.5252 ext. 305 Research Assistants Stephanie Jentsch, M.S. Esa Crumb Rhiwena Slack and our acknowledgements to the many federal, state, university and NGO scientists who provided population census data. The Center for Biological Diversity is a nonprofit conservation organization with more than 18,000 members dedicated to the protection of endangered species and their habitat through science, policy, education and law. CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY P.O. Box 710 Tucson, AZ 85710-0710 520.623.5252 www.biologicaldiversity.org Cover photo: American peregrine falcon Photo by Craig Koppie Cover design: Julie Miller Table of Contents Executive Summary…………………………………………………………….. 1 Methods………………………………………………………………………….. 2 Results and Discussion………………….………………………………………. 5 Photos and Population Trend Graphs…………………………...……………. 9 Highlighted Species..……………………………………………………...…… 32 humpback whale, bald eagle, American peregrine falcon, Atlantic piping plover, shortnose sturgeon, Atlantic green sea turtle, Karner blue butterfly, American burying beetle, seabeach amaranth, dwarf cinquefoil Species Lists by State………………………………………………………….. 43 Technical Species Accounts………………………………………………….... 49 Measuring the Success of the Endangered Species Act Executive Summary The Endangered Species Act is America’s foremost biodiversity conservation law. Its purpose is to prevent the extinction of America’s most imperiled plants and animals, increase their numbers, and effect their full recovery and removal from the endangered list. Currently 1,312 species in the United States are entrusted to its protection.