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The US Endangered Species Act (ESA), passed in 1973, is described as a highly effective law with a 99% success rate in preventing the extinction of listed species. The document outlines how the ESA protects native species through habitat preservation and prohibitions on harm, while protecting international species by regulating trade. It highlights that 46 species, including bald eagles and humpback whales, have been recovered. However, the text warns that proposed 2025 regulatory changes by the Trump administration could undermine the law by prioritizing economic impacts over science and making it harder to designate critical habitats, potentially threatening species such as polar bears and monarch butterflies.