50 years of the Endangered Species Act 28 Dec 2023

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.

© Paul Souders/DanitaDelimont.com

palette

Today in History

Wintry Swiss bliss
28 Dec 2024Green sea turtle
28 Dec 2025Black-and-white ruffed lemur in Madagascar

More Desktop Wallpapers:

24 Mar 2024Silvereyes
16 Sep 2025Nighttime view over the Gulf Coast
9 Jul 2025Independence Day of the Argentine Republic
12 Apr 2025International Day of Human Space Flight
12 Mar 2026Juvenile sunbittern displaying at nest, Ecuador
23 Dec 2023Festivus
A different kind of toucan
19 Mar 2025A black heron canopy hunting in Botswana
25 Jul 2024Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, USA
16 Apr 2026Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
8 Jan 2024Bernina Pass, Graubünden, Switzerland
22 Feb 2024Bathing boxes at Brighton Beach, Australia
3 Sep 2025St Barbaras Cathedral, Kutná Hora, Czechia
6 Sep 2025Rufous hummingbird, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California, United States
19 Feb 2024Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, Spain
14 Nov 2023Russell lupines, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand
20 Nov 2024Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada
29 Mar 2026British Summer Time starts
17 Dec 2023Bohemian waxwings
17 Jan 2024Bavarian Forest National Park, Germany
23 Sep 2024Sea otter
5 May 2026Field of blue agave near Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico
Remembering D-Day
15 Jan 2026The fishing village of Reine, Norway
23 May 2025World Turtle Day
Two hungry baby beavers
Eyes on the skies
16 Oct 2023Golden larches and Prusik Peak, Enchantments, Washington, USA
Hop into Lunar New Year
17 May 2024Endangered Species Day