50 years of the Endangered Species Act 28 Dec 2023

50 years of the Endangered Species Act

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:

8 Jun 2025World Oceans Day
Santa slalom
Holding back the tide
The sprout with amazing potential
19 Feb 2025European river otter
3 Nov 2023World Jellyfish Day
In the foothills of Snowdon
28 Jul 2024Colourful bathing huts on the beach in Skåne County, Sweden
20 Jul 2024International Moon Day
20 Oct 2023International Sloth Day
6 Jun 2026National Trails Day
26 May 2025Baobab trees, Avenue of the Baobabs, Madagascar
Snow glow
17 May 2024Endangered Species Day
15 May 2026Endangered Species Day
10 Jul 2025Independence Day of the Bahamas
A glowing square of squares
16 Jul 2026Aerial view of land and ocean, Victoria, Australia
A longstanding ode to love
24 Apr 2026Everglades National Park, Florida, United States
Lighting up the Dolomites
Owl be seeing you
25 Apr 2026World Penguin Day
28 Jan 2025Short-eared owl
24 Jul 2024Cousins Day
14 Jul 2024Burrowing owl chicks
5 Aug 2025Tide pools in La Jolla, California, United States
23 Aug 2024Prasat Phanom Rung temple ruins, Thailand
25 Jul 2026Praia das Catedrais, Galicia, Spain
30 Jul 2026Monument Valley, Navajo Nation, Arizona, United States