Below are some of the laws currently.

Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 668-668C).

* This Act makes it illegal to import, export, or take bald or golden eagles, or to sell, purchase, or barter their parts, or products made from them, including their nests or eggs.

Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 703-712).

* Except as allowed by implementing regulations, this Act makes it unlawful to pursue, hunt, kill, capture, possess, buy, sell, purchase, or barter any migratory bird, including the feathers or other parts, nests, eggs, or migratory bird products.

Lacey Act (18 U.S.C. 42; 16 U.S.C. 3371-3378).

* This Act provides authority to the Secretary of the Interior to designate injurious wildlife and ensure the humane treatment of wildlife shipped to the United States. Further, it prohibits the importation, exportation, transportation, sale, or purchase of fish and wildlife taken or possessed in violation of State, Federal, Indian tribal, and foreign laws. The Amendments strengthen and improve the enforcement of Federal wildlife laws and improve Federal assistance to the States and foreign governments in the enforcement of their wildlife laws. Also, the act provides an important tool in the effort to gain control of smuggling and trade in illegally taken fish and wildlife.

Marine Mammal Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 1361-1407).

* This Act establishes a moratorium on the taking and importation of marine mammals, including parts and products, and defines Federal responsibility for conservation of marine mammals, with management authority vested in the Department of the Interior for the sea otter, walrus, polar bear, dugong, and manatee.

Airborne Hunting Act (16 U.S.C. 742j-1).

* Section 13 of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 is commonly referred to as the Airborne Hunting Act, or Shooting From Aircraft Act, and prohibits taking or harassing wildlife from aircraft, except when protecting wildlife, livestock, and human health or safety, as authorized by a Federal- or State-issued license or permit.

National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee).

* This Act constitutes an “Organic Act” for the National Wildlife Refuge System by providing guidelines and directives for administration and management of all areas in the system including “wildlife refuges, areas for the protection and conservation of fish and wildlife that are threatened with extinction, wildlife ranges, game ranges, wildlife management areas, or waterfowl production areas.”

Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543).

* This Act prohibits the importation, exportation, taking, and commercialization in interstate or foreign commerce of fish and wildlife, and plants that are listed as threatened or endangered species. The Act also implements the provisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Antarctic Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 2401).

* The purpose of the Act is to provide for the conservation and protection of the fauna and flora of Antarctica and of the ecosystem upon which such fauna and flora depend. The primary prohibitions of the Act make it unlawful for any United States citizen to take any native bird or mammal in Antarctica or to collect any native plant from any specially protected area within Antarctica. In addition, the Act makes it unlawful for any United States citizen or any foreign person in the United States to possess, sell, offer for sale, deliver, receive, carry, transport, import, export, or attempt to import or export from the United States any native mammal or bird taken in Antarctica or any plant collected in any specially protected area.

African Elephant Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 4201-4245).

* The purpose of the Act is to provide additional protection for the African elephant. The Act establishes an assistance program to elephant producing countries of Africa and provides for the establishment of an African Elephant Conservation Fund. In addition, the Act places a moratorium on the importation of raw or worked ivory from African elephant producing countries that do not meet certain criteria found in the Act.

Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992 (16 U.S.C. 4901).

* The act promotes the conservation of exotic birds by encouraging wild bird conservation and management programs in countries of origin; by ensuring that all trade in such species involving the United States is biologically sustainable and to the benefit of the species; and by limiting or prohibiting imports of exotic birds when necessary to ensure that exotic wild populations are not harmed by removal for the trade.

At one time, there were 14 sub-species of Galapagos tortoises, however today only 11 sub-species remain. The main reason for the decline over the years is due to the centuries of humans killing them for food. This started in the 1600’s, when mariners first reached the islands, and continued well into the 20 th century.

Because the Galapagos tortoise is fully protected within the boundries of the Galapagos National Park, being eaten by humans is now not the biggest threat. However, being eaten by introduced species, such as dogs, cats, and rats is. Also, competing with other species for food is a concern as well.

In an effort to help the tortoise population grow, tortoise eggs are incubated at a research center, and hatchlings are raised there until big enough to contend with the rats, dogs, cats, and pigs.

Snow leopards generally live in rocky terrains such as high rocky ridges and mountain passes. However during summer they follow their prey to lower elevations.

Komodo dragons are formidable predators, since even one bite can be lethal. The bacteria that live in the dragon’s saliva are so virulent that wounds often will not heal. Even if the victim gets away, it usually dies from infection in a few days. The dragon’s reputation as a human eater is well deserved; it does not seem to fear humans and many attacks and deaths have been reported.

The current population of Komodo dragons seems relatively stable at about 5,000 animals, yet scientists are concerned that only 350 of them are breeding females. This may be a normal sex ratio; little is known about the species. The dragon’s limited distribution makes them highly susceptible to natural or human-caused events, such as storms, fire, or disease.

Indochinese tigers are located across southern China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia Laos, Thailand and eastern Burma. Their habitat is mostly made up of remote forests and hilly or mountainous terrain. Their diets mainly consist of wild pig, wild deer and wild cattle.

The adult Indochinese males are somewhere between 8-9.5 feet long and females, 7-8.5 feet long. Males weigh 330 to 430 pounds and females, 221 to 287 pounds.

Hunting for trophies, poaching by farmers, and the growing demand for tiger bones in Oriental medicine are key factors for the Indochinese tigers decline. Habitat loss due to population growth is also a major concern.

Almost all wild Siberian tigers live the Southeast corner of Russia in the Sikhote-Alin mountain range east of the Amur River. Their former range included northeastern China and the Korean Peninsula, and as far west as Mongolia. They are the largest of the tiger species and can grow up to 13 feet in length and weigh up to 700 lbs.

The Siberian –or Amur- tiger is considered critically endangered with the primary threats to its’ survival in the wild being poaching and habitat loss from intensive logging and development.

Tigers are most commonly poached for their fur and for their body parts used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is estimated that in 1991 alone, one-third of the Siberian tiger population was killed to meet the demand for their bones and other parts used in this practice. This even though the practice is now unlawful in China.

The other vital concern for the survival of the Siberian tiger in the wild is habitat loss.

Research has demonstrated the Siberian tigers require vast forest landscapes to survive. However logging, both legal and illegal is threatening the tigers home by fragmenting their habitat thereby isolating them from each other. In addition, the continuous creation of new logging roads provide poachers with access to formerly remote areas.

There are many reasons why a particular species may become endangered. Although these factors can be analyzed and grouped, there are many causes that appear repeatedly. Below are several factors leading to endangerment:

Habitat Destruction

Overexploitation

Disease, pollution, and limited distribution are more factors that threaten various plant and animal species. If a species does not have the natural genetic protection against particular pathogens, an introduced disease can have severe effects on that specie.