Where does the Endangered Species Act Stand in 2026?
Your advocacy has helped delay and prevent several attacks on the ESA
Throughout 2025, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) saw an unprecedented number of attacks within the U.S. government. FOUR PAWS, along with our coalition partners, have asked our supporters to raise their voices to protect endangered species many times in the last year, and want you to know that you have made a difference. While we are not completely out of the woods yet, we wanted to highlight how powerful we all can be when we stand together for a common goal.
Thousands of advocates spoke out against the latest ESA proposed rule changes
In December of 2025, we asked you to sign our letter which opposed the latest attacks on the ESA, and you delivered! FOUR PAWS submitted our public comments opposing the proposed rule changes, which included the signatures of 1,851 of our supporters. And throughout our coalition, approximately 400,000 mobilized to share their concerns about these new rules. This is an amazing accomplishment!
While a final decision has yet to be made on these rule changes, which would make it harder to list new endangered species and easier to delist species in need, the government is now in the process of reviewing the public comments, which should take them a good, long time!
We will keep you informed about the status of these rule changes and what you can do if further advocacy is needed. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter and follow us on social media for the latest updates!
The “Harm Rule” proposed changes have not been finalized
Last spring, the Trump administration also proposed another rule change that focused on the definition of the word “harm.” Since the passage of the ESA in 1973, “harm” to endangered species has included harm to the habitat the animals need to survive. The current administration is claiming that “harm” only means directly hurting or killing an animal. If the rule is finalized, it could open up protected habitat to extractive industries such as timber, oil, and mining.
We asked you to speak out against this proposed change, and you once again stepped up! So far, the government has not moved forward with this dangerous rule change. While we don’t know what the government will ultimately decide, it is a positive sign that the definition of “harm” has not yet been officially changed, and it is likely that your advocacy efforts are part of the reason why.
The “Poison Pill Riders” are gone
In the fall of 2025, seventeen anti-wildlife “poison pill” riders were included in the federal appropriations bill. This is the funding bill that needs to be passed in order to fund the federal government, which led to the government shutting down for 43 days. These riders are known as “poison pills” because they are in no way connected to federal funding, and politicians often use this trick to pass unpopular legislation by attaching it this appropriations bill, which must eventually be passed.
Here’s the good news: once the government reopened, the anti-wildlife riders were not included in the new budget plan. And, even better, the riders are once again gone from the latest appropriations bill which will need to be passed by January 30, 2026. We expected that the riders would be included, so this is a big victory!
Thank you for your advocacy
A big thank you to everyone who spoke out in support of endangered species and against the harmful attacks on the ESA. Your voice truly makes a difference.
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