The Endangered Species Act of 1973 “provides a framework for conserving and protecting endangered and threatened species and their habitats” (Source: US Fish and Wildlife Service).

This key piece of environmental legislation has led to the successful protection (and even recovery) of many native plant and animal species, including the American peregrine falcon, bald eagle, southern sea otter, humpback whale, and green sea turtle. However, two iconic “listed” species in our own backyards, the Southern Resident Killer Whale and Puget Sound Chinook salmon have not yet joined the list of recovered species.