Endangered Species Day - May Environmental Celebration
Friday, May 21st
Spearheaded by the National Wildlife Federation, the Endangered Species Act was signed by President Nixon in 1973. Both Iowa and Illinois passed endangered species acts in the 1970s, as well. We will celebrate Endangered Species Day on Friday, May 21st, to learn about threatened and endangered species and to take action to protect them.
As a result of these laws and of the work of environmental non-profit organizations, several species have been removed from the endangered list. Among these are the bald eagle, the American alligator, the humpback whale, and the wild turkey. The rusty patched bumblebee, a local endangered species, was spotted at the Nahant Marsh in Davenport in 2020.
The gray wolf was removed from the endangered species list in 2019, but is now becoming endangered again. Thirteen percent of the world’s bird species are now considered threatened. Rock Island County has an endangered species, the Blanding’s turtle. The Mississippi River is home to the endangered Higgens eye and the winged maple leaf mussels. The Midwest is in danger of losing numerous pollinators, including one fly, three bats, five birds, eight bees, and twenty-four butterflies.
Here are things you can do to celebrate Endangered Species Day:
Lori McCollum
As a result of these laws and of the work of environmental non-profit organizations, several species have been removed from the endangered list. Among these are the bald eagle, the American alligator, the humpback whale, and the wild turkey. The rusty patched bumblebee, a local endangered species, was spotted at the Nahant Marsh in Davenport in 2020.
The gray wolf was removed from the endangered species list in 2019, but is now becoming endangered again. Thirteen percent of the world’s bird species are now considered threatened. Rock Island County has an endangered species, the Blanding’s turtle. The Mississippi River is home to the endangered Higgens eye and the winged maple leaf mussels. The Midwest is in danger of losing numerous pollinators, including one fly, three bats, five birds, eight bees, and twenty-four butterflies.
Here are things you can do to celebrate Endangered Species Day:
- Plant a pollinator garden to attract threatened and endangered birds and insects.
- Join non-profit groups, such as the World Wildlife Fund, the Sierra Club, Environmental Action, the National Wildlife Federation, and the Center for Biological Diversity.
- Visit Niabi Zoo in Coal Valley, IL to see endangered species, and learn from their excellent conservation programs.
- Visit and participate in programs at the Wapsi River Environmental Center in Dixon, IA.
- Create an owl pine cone feeder for yourself, your kids, or your grandkids.
Lori McCollum
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