"Federal Government Declares 21 Species Extinct"

"The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) declared 21 species extinct Monday, including 10 birds and two freshwater fish.

The species, which the agency removed from the list of those protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) due to extinction, are part of a list of 23 that were proposed for delisting two years ago. At the time, the proposed list included the ivory-billed woodpecker, which at the time had its last commonly accepted sighting in 1944. However, the woodpecker was not among the final list.

“The Service will continue to analyze and review the information before deciding whether to delist the ivory-billed woodpecker,” the agency said.

Earlier this year, ornithologists from the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, Pa., said they had seen an ivory-billed woodpecker, the latest of several officially unconfirmed sightings since the last commonly accepted one in 1944."

Zack Budryk reports for The Hill October 16, 2023.

SEE ALSO:

"Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, Louisiana's Bigfoot Of Sorts, Not Declared Extinct — For Now" (Nola.com)

Source: The Hill, 10/17/2023