21 Species Removed From US Endangered Species Act Due to Extinction

Among the species now considered officially extinct are eight birds native to Hawaii.

A Florida Fish and Wildlife vehicle in Del Rio, Texas, on July 18, 2021. Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced on Monday that 21 species are being removed from the Endangered Species Act (ESA) because they are extinct.

According to an Oct. 16 press release, the majority of species on the list—which contains a mix of birds, fish, mussels, and mammal species—were initially listed under the ESA in the 1970s and 1980s, were in very low numbers, and were “likely already extinct” at the time of listing.