Protective Measures

Many endangered species received a measure of relief in 1973 (first of protective measures has been arrange), when the 80 nations that originally participated in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna in Washington D.C., agreed to halt imports of endangered species. In the same year, the United States Congress enacted the Endangered Species Act, ensuring the protection of the vital habitat of any endangered species. The act has been extended repeatedly since then. In 1972 the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, held in Stockholm, Sweden, called for a 10-years moratorium on whaling. The following year the 14 nations in the International Whaling Commission, which meets annually to set quotas, rejected the recommendation but did reduce quotas, introduce area quotas for sperm whales, and continue to forbid the hunting of blue, bowhead, humpback, gray, and right whales. Various quotas have since been established. As a result of another conference held in 1972, an agreement to prohibit dumping of toxic materials in open seas was signed by 91 nations.

National parks throughout the world are often havens for threatened organism according to the protective measures. Research stations have been set up to replenish breeding stock and discover more about the environment and its interrelationships. The protective measures of endangered species are : 

Pesticide pollution endangers the bald eagle (4), peregrine falcon (6) and Japanese white stork (8)
Oil spills threaten the puffin (3)
Water pollution has also led to the decline of the North Atlantic salmon salar (1), Atlantic sturgeon (2), manatee (5) and black footed penguin (7)

Animal threatened by introduced predators include the Galapagos giant tortoise (9), kakapo (10),
a New Zealand ground parrot (11), kagu (12), Indian wild ass (13)
Cattle plague affects the western giant eland (14)

Superstitions endanger such animals as the aye-aye (15), which some Madagascans regard as an evil spirit.
Horns of the black rhinoceros (16), and sika deer (19), are thought to have aphrodisiac properties.
The Japanese giant salamander (17), and formosan serow (18) are used for healing.

The Capture and collection of animals for zoos, pets, or research threatens populations of the Philippine monkey-eating eagle (20), orang utan (21) of Borneo and Sumatera, golden marmoset (22), giant anteater (23),
Texas blind salamander (24), Mediterranean spur-thighed tortoise (25) and golden frog (26) of Panama.

Hunting and over exploitation include the dugong (27), bengal and siberian tiger (28), L. tigris altaica (29), several subspecies of leopard (30), the arrau (31), Atlantic Walrus (32), blue whale (33), European beaver (34),
Nile crocodile (35), green turtle (36), American alligator (37), wild yak (38), chincilla (39), snow leopard (40).

Shooting for "sport" has endangered many species. The giant sable antelope (41),
The Arabian ostrich (45), the Arabian oryx (43), Grus Americana (42), the trumpeter swan (44), Canada goose (46), California condor (47), and polar bear (48)

Many native species are considered pests or predators of introduced species in the new habitats created by human settlement. Animals persecuted for this reason include the Tasmanian wolf (49), wolf (50), black-footed ferret (51), Spanish imperial eagle (52), Mexican grizzly bear (53), Hawaiian hawk (54), Spanish lynx (55), sea otter (56), northern kit fox (57), Florida cougar (58), and Asiatic lion (59).

Deforestation, wetland drainage and other forms of habitat destruction have to the decline of white -throated wallaby. Macropus parma (60), mountain gorilla (61), indri indri (62), Salmo clarki (63), Komodo dragon (64), chimpanzee (65), Everglade kite (66), Hawaiian gallinule (67), Indian elephant (68), spider monkey (69), Comanche Springs pupfish (70), and British swallowtail butterfly (71).