Website 8: https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Understanding-Conservation/Endangered-Species:
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) was enacted by the Congress in 1973. Under the ESA, the federal government has the responsibility to protect the endangered species (the species(species that are likely to become extinct throughout all or a large portion of their range), and threatened species ( Species(species that are most likely to become endangered or threatened species). The Endangered Species Act is very important because it saves our native fish, plants, and other wildlife from going extinct. Once gone, they’re gone forever, and there is no going back from it. Losing even one single species can have disastrous impacts on the rest of the ecosystem, because of the effects will be felt throughout the food chain.