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Listing Species Under the Endangered Species Act

Before a species can receive the protection provided by the Endangered Species Act, it must first be added to the federal lists of endangered and threatened wildlife and plants. A species is added to this list when we determine that it has met definition of endangered or threatened under the Act. Learn more about the process.

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An oceanic whitetip shark swims in the middle of the ocean. An oceanic whitetip shark swims near the surface of the water. Photo courtesy of John Carlson.
Leatherback turtle in the Kei Islands Leatherback turtle in the Kei Islands. Credit: Scubazoo/Jason Isley
A hawksbill sea turtle swimming above a coral reef in western Maui in the Hawaiian Islands. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Don McLeish. Photo taken under permit #21260. A hawksbill sea turtle swimming above a coral reef in western Maui in the Hawaiian Islands. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Don McLeish. Photo taken under permit #21260.