May 15th marks the 15th annual Endangered Species Day. Today is all about learning the importance of protecting endangered species and everyday actions that can be taken to help protect them. With nearly 300 federally listed endangered and threatened plants and animals in the state, California is a hot spot for rare species, second only to Hawaii in the number of federally listed species.
While many species still hover on the brink of extinction, it is important to celebrate the victories that have occurred, and that would not have been possible without the Endangered Species Act. Perhaps the most iconic endangered species in California is the California condor. In the late 1980s, fewer than 30 birds were left in the world and a captive breeding was implemented. Today there are over 450 condors thanks in large part to the research and resources that were devoted to helping this species recover once it was placed on the Endangered Species List. Keeping species from becoming extinct is what the Endangered Species List is all about. The California condor is just one example of what can be achieved once a species becomes classified as an endangered species. Endangered Species Day is a great way to acknowledge the successes in preventing extinctions that have occurred due to the Endangered Species Act and to remember that there are hundreds of species in California that need our help to survive.
For additional information on Endangered Species Day and actions you can take to help protect endangered and threatened species, please see the 
Endangered Species Coalition website.