Scientists in 2019 warned that worldwide, 1 million species of plants and animals were at risk of extinction. There are more than 1,300 species listed as either endangered or threatened in the United States under the Endangered Species Act. The 21 species being removed include one mammal, 10 types of birds, two species of fish and eight types of mussels. Eight of the 21 species were found in Hawaii. "The 21 species extinctions highlight the importance of the ESA and efforts to conserve species before declines become irreversible," the government agency wrote in its announcement. "The circumstances of each also underscore how human activity can drive species decline and extinction by contributing to habitat loss, overuse, and the introduction of invasive species and diseases." The Fish and Wildlife Service had first proposed delisting the species in September of 2021. At the time, the agency proposed removing 23 species from the Endangered Species Act. In the years since, the Fish and Wildlife Service withdrew the delisting proposal for one species, a type of Hawaiian herb. It's also continuing to review information for another, the ivory-billed woodpecker. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/21-spe...due-to-extinction-us-wildlife-officials-say/?
