List of the most endangered species in the United States

A government agency that works for the conservation, protection, and enhancement of wildlife, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, brought forward a list of 23 fish, birds, and other species to be extinct in the year 2023. The agency proposed that these names should be removed from the 1973 Endangered Species Act. According to experts, this list of 23 animals has actually surpassed the point of recovery. There are many reasons for which the endangered and vulnerable species fail to recover. One of them could be incessant human activity aimed at converting land for development needs and agriculture. The second factor because of which vulnerable and endangered species find it difficult to recover is climate change. Issues like pollution too add to the woes.

What species of the United States are the most endangered? Take a look at the list.

The most endangered species in the United States

1. The Florida Panther

The first one on our list is the panther belonging to Florida. At present, there are only 100 to 180 Florida panthers remaining.  The Florida panthers have been listed as an endangered species since the year 1967. There was a time when the Florida Panthers were present throughout the United States. However, several reasons contributed to the decline in their population, and now these are only present in a very small region of South Florida. Some of these reasons are huge urbanization, excessive human population, and habitat destruction. Numerous panthers who wish to cross the land feel difficulty in doing so because of inland developments like highways and roads. One may find the panthers in prairies, swamplands, and forests.

2. The Red Wolf

There are only 15-17 red wolves present in the entire world, and this small number is enough to express the gravity of the situation. Yes, the red wolf is the most endangered wolf in the entire world. Under the Endangered Species Preservation Act, The species was listed as one "threatened with extinction". Human activities that harm the habitat of the red wolves have been on the rise for decades, significantly dropping the number of red wolf species in the world. The US Fish and Wildlife Service has made an attempt to revive the population of the endangered species by reintroducing the red wolf in North Carolina.

3. The Loggerhead Sea Turtle

The third endangered species on our list is the loggerhead sea turtle. It was in the year 1978 when the species entered the list of the endangered species list. The reasons for which the sea turtles saw a decline in their population are the overharvesting of their eggs and the destruction of their beach nesting habitats. Additionally, excessive bycatching in commercial fishing has also added to the woes. A total of 95 percent of the US breeding population of the species is situated in Florida. The rest of them can be found in North and South Carolina and the Alabama coasts.

4. San Joaquin Kit Fox

The species are popular for their big ears. The smallest foxes in North America are actually only 51 cm long. Huge loss in the habitat and excessive conversion of land for the purpose of agriculture and city development have contributed to the decline in the population of the San Joaquin Kit Fox.  The population of the  San Joaquin Kit Fox is less than 7,000.

5. The Lange's Metalmark Butterfly

The species have been protected since the year 1976, and have been the most endangered species in the United States. The Lange's Metalmark butterfly can be found only in the Antioch Dunes in the San Francisco Bay. In ancient times, these creatures were abundant in their population and held a population of over 250,000. However. habitat degradation and habitat loss, invasion of non-native plants, and excessive mining are some of the reasons that have led the Lange's Metalmark Butterfly decline in population. At present, there exist only over 150 Lange's metalmark butterflies.