Trump administration protects record low number of species

The Trump administration has protected only three species as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act during its nearly two years in office. This figure represents the lowest number of protections granted by any administration in the 50-year history of the law.

According to reports, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service missed dozens of deadlines established in its workplan. In fiscal year 2026, the Service failed to make scheduled findings for 39 species, including the little brown bat, golden-winged warbler, and Arizona toad. To date, the three species listed under the current administration—the Florida Keys mole skink, rim rock crowned snake, and Key ringneck snake—were all added following court orders.

In comparison, the Clinton administration protected 521 species and the Obama administration protected 361. A revised workplan published in July dropped scheduled decisions for 64 species over the next five years. Critics, including the Center for Biological Diversity, attribute the decline to staffing cuts and reduced spending, warning that the lack of protection pushes more wildlife toward extinction.