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== Endangered Species Act ==

The '''Endangered Species Act''' (''ESA''; /ɪnˈdeɪndʒərd ˈspiːʃiːz ækt/) is a key legislation for both domestic and international conservation. The act aims to provide a framework to conserve and protect endangered and threatened species and their habitats.

=== Etymology ===

The term "Endangered Species Act" is derived from the English words "endangered" (/ɪnˈdeɪndʒərd/), meaning at risk of extinction, "species" (/ˈspiːʃiːz/), referring to a group of living organisms sharing common characteristics, and "act" (/ækt/), in this context meaning a law or statute.

=== History ===

The Endangered Species Act was signed into law by President Richard Nixon on December 28, 1973. It was designed to protect critically imperiled species from extinction as a "consequence of economic growth and development untempered by adequate concern and conservation."

=== Provisions ===

The ESA is administered by two federal agencies, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The act includes provisions for listing species as endangered and threatened, designating critical habitat, prohibiting unauthorized taking, and requiring federal cooperation.

=== Related Terms ===

* [[Endangered Species]]: A species of animal or plant that is seriously at risk of extinction.
* [[Threatened Species]]: A species likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future.
* [[Habitat Conservation]]: A land management practice that seeks to conserve, protect and restore habitat areas for wild plants and animals, especially conservation reliant species.
* [[Biodiversity]]: The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

=== See Also ===

* [[Conservation Movement]]
* [[Wildlife Conservation]]
* [[Biodiversity Act]]

[[Category:Conservation]]
[[Category:Environmental law]]
[[Category:Endangered species]]

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