Delisted species

Endangered species statistics
Endangered species by state • Endangered animals by state • Endangered plants by state • Delisted species
Top 20 federally funded species • Land acquisition funding for endangered species • Federal endangered species grants by state

This article does not receive scheduled updates. If you would like to help our coverage grow, consider donating to Ballotpedia. Contact our team to suggest an update.

State environmental policy

U.S. environmental policy
Endangered species policy
State endangered species
Federal land policy
Environmental terms

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) removes animal and plant species from the federal list of endangered and threatened species—a process known as delisting—when the agency concludes that threats and negative impacts to the species are no longer present or are being managed. Meanwhile, downlisting is the reclassification of a species's status from endangered to threatened. This action requires formal federal rulemaking with an opportunity for public comment.

HIGHLIGHTS

The Fish and Wildlife Service delists an animal or plant species when threats and negative impacts to the species are reduced or eliminated.

As of July 2016, 63 species were delisted.

Of the above total, 34 were delisted due to recovery, 19 species were listed in error (for scientific reasons or because new information about a species was discovered) and 10 species went extinct.

Background

See also: Delisting a species

A species can be removed from the federal list for several reasons, including the recovery of a species's population, extinction or new information about additional species populations, or an error in the original listing. A species's recovery involves preventing a decline in the species' population and stabilizing its numbers. A species's population also must increase in number and distribution so it can survive in the wild.^[1]

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must evaluate the best available science for a particular species and consider the following five factors before it decides to delist or downlist a species:^[1]

Whether there is present or potential destruction, curtailment or modification of a species's habitat or range
Whether a species is being overused for commercial, recreational, scientific or educational purposes
Whether existing federal regulations have been adequate in protecting the species and its habitat
Whether potential or existing diseases or predators are a factor in a species's survival
Whether there are other natural or human-made factors that affect a species's current existence

If the agency determines that threats to a species are eliminated or under control, the agency may consider delisting or downlisting the species. When a species is delisted due to recovery, the Endangered Species Act requires the agency to monitor the species for at least five years to determine whether the species can survive without federal protection. If a species faces continued threats to its survival or unseen events affect a species's population during the monitoring period, the agency is allowed to extend its monitoring time or re-list the species.^[1]