Endangered Species Act (ESA) MCQs

By: Prof. Dr. Fazal Rehman Shamil | Last updated: September 12, 2024

  1. What is the primary purpose of the Endangered Species Act (ESA)?
    • A) To regulate land use for economic development
    • B) To protect endangered species and their habitats
    • C) To monitor climate change effects
    • D) To promote international trade
      Answer: B) To protect endangered species and their habitats

  1. Which year was the Endangered Species Act (ESA) passed?
    • A) 1973
    • B) 1985
    • C) 1990
    • D) 2001
      Answer: A) 1973

  1. Who is responsible for enforcing the Endangered Species Act?
    • A) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)
    • B) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
    • C) National Park Service (NPS)
    • D) U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
      Answer: A) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)

  1. Under the ESA, a species is classified as “endangered” if it is:
    • A) Threatened by natural disasters
    • B) At risk of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range
    • C) Declining in population due to habitat loss
    • D) Classified as vulnerable by international organizations
      Answer: B) At risk of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range

  1. Which of the following is NOT a provision of the ESA?
    • A) Habitat conservation for endangered species
    • B) Prohibition of “taking” endangered species
    • C) Protection of species from international trafficking
    • D) Providing tax incentives to industries harming habitats
      Answer: D) Providing tax incentives to industries harming habitats

  1. What does the term “taking” mean under the Endangered Species Act?
    • A) Capturing or killing an endangered species
    • B) Relocating a species to another habitat
    • C) Photographing or documenting endangered species
    • D) Donating land for species conservation
      Answer: A) Capturing or killing an endangered species

  1. Which of the following is a success story attributed to the ESA?
    • A) Extinction of the dodo bird
    • B) Recovery of the bald eagle population
    • C) Decrease in whale populations
    • D) Loss of coral reef ecosystems
      Answer: B) Recovery of the bald eagle population

  1. A species that is likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future is classified as:
    • A) Endangered
    • B) Threatened
    • C) Vulnerable
    • D) Critically endangered
      Answer: B) Threatened

  1. What action must federal agencies take under the ESA?
    • A) Assess the economic impact of protecting species
    • B) Ensure that their actions do not jeopardize listed species or habitats
    • C) Fund private land conservation projects
    • D) Promote the hunting of invasive species
      Answer: B) Ensure that their actions do not jeopardize listed species or habitats

  1. Which of the following activities is prohibited under the ESA?
    • A) Hunting game species during legal seasons
    • B) Damaging critical habitats of endangered species
    • C) Capturing animals for zoos
    • D) Reporting illegal poaching
      Answer: B) Damaging critical habitats of endangered species

 


  1. When was the Endangered Species Act (ESA) signed into law?
    • A) 1970
    • B) 1973
    • C) 1980
    • D) 1985
      Answer: B) 1973

  1. Which of the following agencies is primarily responsible for implementing the ESA?
    • A) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
    • B) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)
    • C) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
    • D) U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
      Answer: B) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)

  1. What is the primary goal of the ESA?
    • A) To promote wildlife tourism
    • B) To prevent species extinction
    • C) To conserve water resources
    • D) To regulate hunting practices
      Answer: B) To prevent species extinction

  1. A species is considered “threatened” under the ESA when it is likely to become:
    • A) Extinct in the next 100 years
    • B) Endangered in the near future
    • C) Critically endangered in other countries
    • D) Vulnerable due to climate change
      Answer: B) Endangered in the near future

  1. Which section of the ESA is concerned with prohibiting the “taking” of endangered species?
    • A) Section 4
    • B) Section 6
    • C) Section 7
    • D) Section 9
      Answer: D) Section 9

  1. “Taking” under the ESA includes all of the following EXCEPT:
    • A) Harassing
    • B) Hunting
    • C) Collecting
    • D) Observing
      Answer: D) Observing

  1. What does “critical habitat” mean under the ESA?
    • A) Habitats that are primarily used by humans
    • B) Areas essential for the conservation of a listed species
    • C) Regions with the highest biodiversity
    • D) Protected lands for tourism
      Answer: B) Areas essential for the conservation of a listed species

  1. Which of the following is NOT a criterion for listing a species under the ESA?
    • A) Present or threatened habitat destruction
    • B) Overutilization for commercial purposes
    • C) Disease or predation
    • D) Lack of tourism opportunities
      Answer: D) Lack of tourism opportunities

  1. Which species was successfully delisted due to the ESA’s protection?
    • A) Blue whale
    • B) American alligator
    • C) Dodo
    • D) Passenger pigeon
      Answer: B) American alligator

  1. Which of the following is NOT protected under the ESA?
    • A) Endangered species
    • B) Threatened species
    • C) Invasive species
    • D) Critical habitats
      Answer: C) Invasive species

  1. Under the ESA, who has the authority to list a species as endangered or threatened?
    • A) U.S. Congress
    • B) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA
    • C) U.S. Department of Agriculture
    • D) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
      Answer: B) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA

  1. How often must the status of listed species be reviewed under the ESA?
    • A) Every 2 years
    • B) Every 3 years
    • C) Every 5 years
    • D) Every 10 years
      Answer: C) Every 5 years

  1. Which of the following acts complements the ESA by regulating international wildlife trade?
    • A) Lacey Act
    • B) Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)
    • C) Migratory Bird Treaty Act
    • D) Marine Mammal Protection Act
      Answer: B) Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)

  1. What role does Section 7 of the ESA play?
    • A) It defines penalties for poaching
    • B) It mandates federal agencies to ensure their actions do not harm endangered species
    • C) It regulates international wildlife trade
    • D) It lists species eligible for protection
      Answer: B) It mandates federal agencies to ensure their actions do not harm endangered species

  1. What is the maximum fine for violating the ESA?
    • A) $5,000
    • B) $10,000
    • C) $25,000
    • D) $50,000
      Answer: D) $50,000

  1. Which of the following is a method used by the ESA to help recover endangered species?
    • A) Reducing poaching fines
    • B) Habitat conservation plans
    • C) Increasing public hunting rights
    • D) Importing species from other countries
      Answer: B) Habitat conservation plans

  1. Which U.S. president signed the ESA into law?
    • A) Lyndon B. Johnson
    • B) Richard Nixon
    • C) Jimmy Carter
    • D) Gerald Ford
      Answer: B) Richard Nixon

  1. Which of the following is an example of a critical habitat designation?
    • A) A national park
    • B) An area essential for the breeding of a listed species
    • C) An urban development zone
    • D) A tourist reserve
      Answer: B) An area essential for the breeding of a listed species

  1. Which of the following is a “candidate species” under the ESA?
    • A) A species already listed as endangered
    • B) A species under consideration for listing
    • C) A species recently recovered from endangerment
    • D) A species that has become extinct
      Answer: B) A species under consideration for listing

  1. Which species is currently listed as “endangered” under the ESA?
    • A) Bald eagle
    • B) California condor
    • C) American alligator
    • D) Gray wolf
      Answer: B) California condor

  1. Which of the following is a reason for removing a species from the ESA list?
    • A) Population recovery
    • B) Habitat destruction
    • C) Increasing tourism demand
    • D) Introduction of invasive species
      Answer: A) Population recovery

  1. How many species are currently protected under the ESA?
    • A) Less than 500
    • B) 500-1,000
    • C) 1,000-2,000
    • D) Over 2,000
      Answer: D) Over 2,000

  1. Which is an example of an animal listed as threatened rather than endangered?
    • A) African elephant
    • B) Green sea turtle
    • C) Northern spotted owl
    • D) American bison
      Answer: C) Northern spotted owl

  1. Which section of the ESA authorizes Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs)?
    • A) Section 3
    • B) Section 10
    • C) Section 6
    • D) Section 9
      Answer: B) Section 10

  1. What must a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) include?
    • A) Provisions for land use by humans
    • B) Measures to minimize and mitigate impacts on the species
    • C) Plans for urban development
    • D) Policies to introduce new species
      Answer: B) Measures to minimize and mitigate impacts on the species

  1. Under the ESA, who has the authority to declare a species extinct?
    • A) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
    • B) U.S. Congress
    • C) Department of Defense
    • D) International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
      Answer: A) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

  1. Which of the following is NOT a species recovery effort under the ESA?
    • A) Relocating endangered species to safer habitats
    • B) Captive breeding programs
    • C) Habitat destruction
    • D) Conservation of critical habitats
      Answer: C) Habitat destruction

  1. How does the ESA affect private landowners?
    • A) It prevents them from developing their land entirely
    • B) It requires landowners to take conservation measures for listed species on their property
    • C) It forces them to sell their land to the government
    • D) It only applies to federal land, not private land
      Answer: B) It requires landowners to take conservation measures for listed species on their property

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