Celebrate International Endangered Species Day With Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park invites you to a special program at 7 p.m. Friday, May 18 at Beaver Meadows Visitor Center. On this special day, America will celebrate endangered species success stories, including the protection and recovery of the American bald eagle and Rocky’s own peregrine falcon. This year, we will be showing the award-winning film from the Discovery Channel, Racing Extinction. By shedding light on the international wildlife trade, the filmmakers reveal forces that endanger wildlife on the land and in the sea, while introducing us to the brave people working every day to save vulnerable species. They are protecting habitats, changing behaviors, and holding illegal operations accountable.

Started in 2006, by the United States Congress, Endangered Species Day is a celebration of the nation’s wildlife and wild places. The goal of Endangered Species Day is simple, to highlight the importance of protecting and recovering our rare, threatened, and endangered animal and plant species. In Colorado, the peregrine falcon is making a remarkable recovery thanks to efforts to protect these animals and their homes. Without these efforts, we might have lost these special falcons forever. Our commitment to protecting rare wildlife ensures that Coloradoans can enjoy living side-by-side with all plant and wildlife for generations to come.

One reason for the nation’s success in protecting wildlife is the passage, 42 years ago, of the federal Endangered Species Act. The Endangered Species Act has successfully prevented the extinction of hundreds of species, including the humpback whale, Kirtland’s warbler, and bull trout. Many of our nation’s signature species, such as the Florida panther, Hawaiian monk seal, and Alabama red-bellied turtle, owe their continued existence to the protections of the Act. The significant success of the Act shows that only nine animals out of the more than 1,800 species listed as endangered under the Act have been declared extinct. This is in part thanks to the everyday actions that individuals can take to help protect our nation’s wildlife, fish and plants.

This program is free and open to the public. For more information about Rocky Mountain National Park please visit www.nps.gov/romo or call the park’s Information Office at (970) 586-1206.



Jeff
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