How do the Services determine whether a species is endangered or threatened?
A. Under the ESA, the term endangered species means any species in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. The term threatened species means any species at risk of becoming an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range. Section 4(a)(1) of the ESA establishes that we determine whether a species is endangered or threatened based on one or more of the following five factors: • The present or threatened destruction, modification, or curtailment of its habitat or range; • Over utilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or education purposes; • Disease or predation; • The inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms; or • Other natural or manmade factors affecting its continued existence. The Services assessment of these factors is required under section 4(b)(1) of the ESA to be based on the best scientific and commercial data available. Q. What is the American eel? A. The only freshwater
