Today is a special milestone for our furry, scaly and feathered friends: the Endangered Species Act is turning 50. This landmark US legislation, signed into law in 1973, has been lending a helping hand to species on the brink for half a decade. The act helped inspire Britain"s own Wildlife and Countryside act of 1981. Who"s that in the spotlight? A humpback whale! Known for their haunting songs and acrobatic breaches, these gentle giants are a success story of the ESA. They were once on the edge of extinction due to whaling and entanglement in fishing gear, but thanks to conservation efforts, their population is making a comeback, from around 5,000 in 1966 to an estimate of 135,000 today.
50 years of the Endangered Species Act
Today in History
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Celebrating the tropics
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Guy Fawkes Night
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Celebrating World Olive Tree Day
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Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Liguria, Italy
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Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island, Canada
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Merry Christmas!
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Sequoias of the sea
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Lago Pehoé, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile
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Frankenstein Friday
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An iris garden in Tokyo, Japan
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Stockholm Public Library, Sweden
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Beauty beyond imagination
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World Art Day
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Green-crowned brilliant hummingbird
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Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, USA
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Silent night, sparkling lights and hearts full of joy
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Hogmanay
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Burrowing owl chicks
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Shark Fin Cove, California
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From victory to festivity
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What are these unique creatures?
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The Riviera of India
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Spanning the soft sunlight
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Cousins Day
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World Otter Day
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Kirkilai lakes, Biržai Regional Park, Lithuania
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Perfect, pastoral Palouse
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Fallow deer, Bradgate Park, Leicestershire, England
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Sway with the Amazonian canopy
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So nice, they made it twice