Endangered Species Act

Today is a big day for conservation—it's the anniversary of the Endangered Species Act. Passed in the US in 1973, this law was a game-changer, ensuring that economic growth wouldn't steamroll over species at risk of disappearing forever. For the first time, plants were given protection too, and the focus shifted from merely avoiding extinction to actively helping species recover to the point where they could thrive without protection.
Today's image shows an endangered green sea turtle swimming in the waters off New Caledonia in the southwest Pacific Ocean. Found along the coastlines of over 140 countries, they nest in more than 80 countries year round. In the US, they can be found on both coasts, from Texas to Maine, and from California all the way up to southern Alaska. Despite their size and strength, they face significant challenges, including hunting, boat collisions, and entanglement in fishing nets. In the image, the turtle is gliding over staghorn coral, a threatened species of marine invertebrates. This coral can grow to over 6 feet and is crucial to marine ecosystems. Thanks to its rapid growth, it acts as a marine nursery for juvenile fish, as well as providing buffer zones against erosion and storms. Let's take a moment to appreciate the progress we've made in protecting our planet's most vulnerable species—and remember that the work is far from over.
© Damsea/Shutterstock