How does the law protect threatened and endangered species?
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) protects threatened and endangered species in several ways. One of the most important is that section 7 requires all federal agencies to ensure that any actions they take, fund, or authorize are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of a listed species or destroy or adversely modify its designated critical habitat. This requirement applies only to federal agency actions, and only to habitat that has been designated. Another important protection provided by the ESA is that it prohibits any person from “taking” an endangered species. In most cases, agency regulations also prohibit any person from taking a threatened species. This prohibition is separate from the section 7 requirement for federal agency actions. 3. What is critical habitat? The ESA defines critical habitat as “the specific areas within the geographical area occupied by the species, at the time it is listed, on which are found those physical or biological features (I) essential t
