Center for Biological Diversity

110 Success Stories for Endangered Species Day 2012

Northwest        


Aleutian Canada goose (Branta hutchinsii leucopareia)

Status: Delisted Critical habitat: none
Listed: 3/11/1967 Recovery plan: 9/30/1991
   

Range: AK(b), CA(s), OR(s), WA(m) ---

SUMMARY
In the 1960s the Aleutian Canada goose was feared extinct due to predation by non-native foxes introduced to its nesting island, and to a less degree, by excessive hunting and loss of winter and migration habitat. It was rediscovered in 1962. In 1967 it was listed as an endangered species and grew from ~790 birds in 1975 to ~60,000 in 2005. It was declared recovered and removed from the endangered list in 2001, seven years earlier than projected by its recovery plan.

+MORE INFORMATION

American peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus anatum)

Status: Delisted Critical habitat: 8/11/1977
Listed: 6/2/1970 Recovery plan: 6/30/1991
   

Range: AL(m), AK(b), AZ(b), AR(m), CA(b), CO(b), CT(b), DE(b), DC(m), GA(b), ID(b), IL(b), IN(b), IA(b), KS(m), KY(b), LA(m), ME(b), MD(b), MA(b), MI(b), MN(b), MS(m), MO(m), MT(b), NE(b), NV(b), NH(b), NY(b), NM(b), NJ(b), NC(b), ND(m), OH(b), OK(m), OR(b), PA(b), RI(b), SC(b), SD(b), TN(b), TX(b), UT(b), VT(b), VA(b), WA(b), WV(m), WI(b), WY(b) ---

SUMMARY
The use of DDT and other organochlorine pesticides thinned American peregrine falcon eggshells, causing reproductive failure and population declines. The banning of DDT, captive-breeding efforts and nest protections allowed falcons to increase from 324 breeding pairs in 1975 to 3,005 pairs as of 2006. The species was delisted in 1999.

+MORE INFORMATION

Arctic peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus tundrius)

Status: DelistedCritical habitat: none
Listed: 6/2/1970Recovery plan: 6/30/1991
   

Range: AL(m), AK(b), AZ(m), AR(m), CA(m), CO(m), CT(m), DE(m), DC(m), FL(m), GA(m), ID(m), IL(m), IN(m), IA(m), KS(m), KY(m), LA(m), ME(m), MD(m), MA(m), MI(m), MN(m), MS(m), MO(m), MT(m), NE(m), NV(m), NH(m), NY(m), NM(m), NJ(m), NC(m), ND(m), OH(m), OK(m), OR(m), PA(m), RI(m), SC(m), SD(m), TN(m), TX(m), UT(m), VT(m), VA(m), WA(m), WV(m), WI(m), WY(m) ---

SUMMARY
The Arctic peregrine falcon declined due to the egg shell-thinning effects of DDT and other organochlorine pesticides. Its listing as an endangered species in 1970 (along with other birds of prey) prompted the EPA to ban DDT in 1972. Counts of migratory Arctic falcons increased from 103 in 1976, to 1,017 in 2004. The species was downlisted to threatened in 1984 and delisted in 1991.

+MORE INFORMATION

Bald eagle (continental U.S. DPS) (Haliaeetus leucocephalus (Continental U.S. DPS))

Status: DelistedCritical habitat: none
Listed: 3/11/1967Recovery plan: 5/18/1999
   

Range: AL(b), AZ(b), AR(b), CA(b), CO(b), CT(b), DE(b), DC(b), FL(b), GA(b), ID(b), IL(b), IN(b), IA(b), KS(b), KY(b), LA(b), ME(b), MD(b), MA(b), MI(b), MN(b), MS(b), MO(b), MT(b), NE(b), NV(b), NH(b), NY(b), NM(b), NJ(b), NC(b), ND(b), OH(b), OK(b), OR(b), PA(b), RI(b), SC(b), SD(b), TN(b), TX(b), UT(b), VT(b), VA(b), WA(b), WV(b), WI(b), WY(b) ---

SUMMARY
The bald eagle declined throughout the lower 48 states, and was extirpate from most of them due to habitat loss, persecution, and DDT-related eggshell thinning. The banning of DDT, increased wetland protection and restoration, and an aggressive, mostly state-based reintroduction program caused eagle pairs to soar from 416 in 1963 to 11,052 in 2007 when the eagle was removed from the endangered list.

+MORE INFORMATION

Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus)

Status: EndangeredCritical habitat: none
Listed: 6/2/1970Recovery plan: 10/23/1998
   

Range: AK(s), CA(s), FL(o), HI(s), ME(o), MD(o), MA(o), NH(o), NY(o), NC(o), OR(m), RI(o), SC(o), WA(m) ---

SUMMARY
The blue whale population was reduced by as much as 99 percent due to whaling that occurred before the mid-1960s. The number of whales reported off the coast of California, the largest stock in U.S. waters, increased from 704 in 1980 to an estimated 2,497 in 2010.

+MORE INFORMATION

California brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus )

Status: DelistedCritical habitat: none
Listed: 10/13/1970Recovery plan: 2/3/1983
   

Range: AZ(o), CA(b), OR(s), WA(s) ---

SUMMARY
The California brown pelican declined due to habitat loss, reproductive failure from DDT-related eggshell thinning and toxic exposure to the pesticide endrin. It was listed as endangered in 1970, but continued declining to a low of 466 pairs in 1978. Since then, it as increased, though inconsistently, reaching 11,695 nesting pairs when delisted in 2009. The banning of DDT and protection of nesting areas, especially in Channel Islands National Park, are responsible for its recovery.

+MORE INFORMATION

California condor (Gymnogyps californianus)

Status: EndangeredCritical habitat: 9/24/1976
Listed: 3/11/1967Recovery plan: 4/25/1996
   

Range: AZ(b), CA(b) --- NV(x), OR(x), UT(x), WA(x)

SUMMARY
The California condor was nearly driven extinct by DDT, lead poisoning from ingested bullet fragments, and hunting. Lead poisoning remains a major threat to the species. Wild condors declined to nine birds by 1985. A captive-breeding and release program has increased the population to 386 birds as of 2012, including 213 wild and 173 captive birds.

+MORE INFORMATION

Columbian white-tailed deer (Douglas County DPS) (Odocoileus virginianus leucurus (Douglas County DPS))

Status: DelistedCritical habitat: none
Listed: 3/11/1967Recovery plan: 6/14/1983
   

Range: OR(b) ---

SUMMARY
The Columbian white-tailed deer was reduced from tens of thousands of deer to two small, populations totaling 200-300 deer in central Oregon and at the mouth of the Columbia River, due to unrestricted hunting and the loss of riparian and woodland forests. It was listed as endangered in 1967. Due to habitat protection and prohibition on killing, the Douglas County population in central Oregon grew from an estimate 1,200 deer in 1975 to over 6,000 at the time of its delisting in 2003.

+MORE INFORMATION

Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus)

Status: EndangeredCritical habitat: none
Listed: 6/2/1970Recovery plan: 7/30/2010
   

Range: AL(o), AK(s), CA(s), CT(s), DE(s), FL(s), GA(s), HI(s), LA(o), ME(s), MD(s), MA(s), MS(o), NH(s), NY(s), NJ(s), NC(s), OR(s), PA(s), RI(s), SC(s), TX(o), VA(s), WA(s) ---

SUMMARY
Fin whales were hunted in all the world's oceans for the first three-quarters of the 20th century, causing population decline. Ongoing threats include illegal and legal whaling, vessel collisions, fishing gear entanglement, reduced prey and noise. Total population size is unknown, but both the North Atlantic and North Pacific populations increased between 1995 and 2009.

+MORE INFORMATION

Gray whale (Eastern North Pacific DPS) (Eschrichtius robustus pop. 3)

Status: DelistedCritical habitat: none
Listed: 6/2/1970Recovery plan: none
   

Range: AK(b), CA(b), OR(b), WA(b) ---

SUMMARY
Gray whales declined precipitously due to whaling, becoming extinct in the Atlantic, endangered in the Eastern North Pacific and extremely endangered in the Western North Pacific. They are threatened by oil and gas drilling and coastal development. In 1968, there were 13,426 Eastern North Pacific gray whales. The species was was listed as endangered in 1970 and removed from the list in 1994 when the population reached 20,103 whales. The 2009 population was estimated to be 21,911.

+MORE INFORMATION

Gray wolf (Northern Rockies DPS) (Canis lupus (Northern Rockies DPS))

Status: EndangeredCritical habitat: none
Listed: 3/11/1967Recovery plan: 8/3/1987
   

Range: ID(b), MT(b), eastern OR(b), eastern WA(b), WY(b), northern UT(o)

SUMMARY

Gray wolves were purposefully hunted, trapped and poisoned to near extinction in the western United States, often by the federal government or with the encouragement of private and state bounties. By 1973, no wild wolves remained in the region. They were listed as endangered in 1967 and began  recolonizing the Northern Rocky Mountains from Canada in the early 1980s. Due to prohibition of killing, habitat protection, and reintroductions, the population grew rapidly, was downlisted in 2003, reached 1,679 wolves by 2009, and was delisted in 2011.

+MORE INFORMATION

Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)

Status: EndangeredCritical habitat: none
Listed: 6/2/1970Recovery plan: 11/15/1991
   

Range: AL(o), AK(s), CA(s), CT(s), DE(s), FL(s), GA(s), HI(s), LA(o), ME(s), MD(s), MA(s), MS(o), NH(s), NY(s), NJ(s), NC(s), OR(s), RI(s), SC(s), TX(o), VA(s), WA(s) ---

SUMMARY
Humpback whale populations were greatly depleted by commercial whaling by the early 1900s. In 1966, the entire North Pacific humpback population was thought to number only around 1,200 animals. As of 2010, the total population of North Pacific humpback was estimated at 21,808.

+MORE INFORMATION

Oregon chub (Oregonichthys crameri)

Status: ThreatenedCritical habitat: 3/10/2010
Listed: 10/18/1993Recovery plan: 9/3/1998
   

Range: OR

SUMMARY
The Oregon chub became endangered when its slackwater habitat was destroyed by dams, channelization and agriculture. It continues to be threatened by predaceous non-native fish and population isolation. When listed as an endangered species in 1993, just eight populations remained. By 2008 there were 38, 11 of which were reintroduced. In 2010 was downlisted to threatened and provided with a federally protected critical habitat area.

+MORE INFORMATION

Pacific green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas agassizi)

Status: Threatened/EndangeredCritical habitat: none
Listed: 7/28/1978Recovery plan: 1/12/1998
   

Range: AS(b), CA(s), GU(b), HI(b), MP(b), OR(o), WA(o) ---

SUMMARY
Green sea turtles in the Pacific are threatened by habitat loss, egg collection, hunting, beach development, bycatch mortality in commercial fisheries, and sea level rise due to global warming. Since being protected in 1978, the number of females nesting at East Island of French Frigate Shoals, approximately half of the total Hawaii population, increased from 105 in 1978 to 808 in 2011.

+MORE INFORMATION

Steller sea-lion (eastern DPS) (Eumetopias jubatus (eastern DPS))

Status: EndangeredCritical habitat: 8/27/1993
Listed: 4/5/1990Recovery plan: 2/29/2008
   

Range: AK, CA, OR, WA

SUMMARY
The Steller sea-lion (eastern DPS) declined due to exploitation, predator control and prey base declines. These threats substantially declined following its listing as an endangered species in 1990 and designation of critical habitat in 1993. Its population increased about 21,000 animals in 1989 to 63,488 in 2009. In 2012 it was proposed for delisting due to high total numbers, but California trends remain weak, and the southernmost portion of its range has not been reoccupied.

+MORE INFORMATION

Western snowy plover (Pacific DPS) (Charadrius nivosus nivosus (Pacific DPS))

Status: ThreatenedCritical habitat: 12/7/1999
Listed: 3/5/1993Recovery plan: 8/13/2007
   

Range: CA(b), OR(b), WA(b) ---

SUMMARY
The snowy plover declined on the Pacific Coast due to habitat loss, disturbance of nest sites, and encroachment of European beach grass. It remains threatened by predation, disturbance and climate change. When listed as an endangered species in 1993, the U.S. population was estimated at about 1,500 adults. Protection efforts have allowed the population to increase to more than 3,600 adults in 2010.

+MORE INFORMATION