• The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declared 21 species extincton Monday, nearly doubling the number of species delisted under the Endangered Species Act due to their eradication.
• The list, which contains 10 species of birds, two fish species, eight species of mussels, and one mammal, contains a majority of organisms that were originally listed under the ESA in the 1970s and ‘80s.
• “Federal protection came too late to reverse these species’ decline, and it’s a wake-up call on the importance of conserving imperiled species before it’s too late,” agency Director Martha Williams said in a statement.

Tagged: Animals