Endangered Species Act (ESA) MCQs

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

2. : Which year was the Endangered Species Act (ESA) passed?

(A) 1973

(B) 1985

(C) 1990

(D) 2001

3. : 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)

4. : 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

5. : 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

6. : 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

7. : 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

8. : A species that is likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future is classified as:

(A) Endangered

(B) Threatened

(C) Vulnerable

(D) Critically endangered

9. : 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

10. : 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

11. : When was the Endangered Species Act (ESA) signed into law?

(A) 1970

(B) 1973

(C) 1980

(D) 1985

12. : 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)

13. : 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

14. : 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

15. : 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

16. : “Taking” under the ESA includes all of the following EXCEPT:

(A) Harassing

(B) Hunting

(C) Collecting

(D) Observing

17. : 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

18. : 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

19. : Which species was successfully delisted due to the ESA’s protection?

(A) Blue whale

(B) American alligator

(C) Dodo

(D) Passenger pigeon

20. : Which of the following is NOT protected under the ESA?

(A) Endangered species

(B) Threatened species

(C) Invasive species

(D) Critical habitats

21. : 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)

22. : 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

23. : 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

24. : 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

25. : What is the maximum fine for violating the ESA?

(A) $5,000

(B) $10,000

(C) $25,000

(D) $50,000

26. : 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

27. : Which U.S. president signed the ESA into law?

(A) Lyndon B. Johnson

(B) Richard Nixon

(C) Jimmy Carter

(D) Gerald Ford

28. : 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

29. : 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

30. : Which species is currently listed as “endangered” under the ESA?

(A) Bald eagle

(B) California condor

(C) American alligator

(D) Gray wolf

31. : 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

32. : 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

33. : 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

34. : Which section of the ESA authorizes Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs)?

(A) Section 3

(B) Section 10

(C) Section 6

(D) Section 9

35. : 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

36. : 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)

37. : 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

38. : 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