Endangered Species

There are thousands of endangered species, which are populations of both plants and animals whose numbers have been diminished so they're very close to extinction. Over the past two hundred years, more than 10 thousand species have become extinct worldwide, and forty percent of all species are endangered. The primary cause of endangerment is the destruction of a species' habitat, but other factors such as pollution, hunting, and natural changes add to the growing number of endangered animals. Once extinct there's no coming back and to prevent this a lot of places set up laws forbidding hunting, restricting land development, or creating preserves. These laws do not protect all of the species at risk, and many more species become extinct wether we know it or not.

In 1973 the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was passed. Its purpose is to protect species and the ecosystems which they depend on. It forbids agencies from authorizing, funding, or carrying out actions which can jeopardize the continued existence of a threatened species and from taking endangered animals without a permit. Once a species is listed as threatened or endangered it is required that the critical habitat be designated for that species, and areas

that are necessary for a recovery. Federal agencies are forbidden from funding, or carrying out any action that may destroy ro adversely modify the species critical habitat.

There are many endangered species currently in Connecticut. One of them being the Eastern Puma, a cougar, enlisted on June 4, 1973. Not only is this animal endangered in Connecticut but also in 21 other states including Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Rhode Island. The Eastern Puma can be a reddish brown-tan color. They have white fur on there stomachs and underneath their chin. They are marked with black behind their ears, face, and tail. A lot of their tails actually have an upward turn at the end and its not unusual for them to have a cowlick like swirl on their back, They weigh between 65 to 130 pounds and grow to be 6 feet in length. They can be found through out the east in the United States. There habitat consists of mountains, hilly woodlands, and swamps with dense vegetation, rocky crevices, and caves they may use for temporary shelters. They are mainly nocturnal but can be seen during the day. They are active all seasons. They remain on the ground for the most part, but they are able to climb. They are usually solitary, except for mothers with young. Mating is brief and occurs when females are receptive but there is no fixed breeding season with one litter every 2 to 3 years with an average of 2-4 kittens born. The young kittens stay with their mother for up to 2 years. The home range of a female is 5 - 20 square miles and a male is 25 square miles more. They mark their territories with