American Samoa Animals Protected
It’s the first time species in the U.S. territory have received federal protections.
The Pacific sheath-tailed bat, the mao forest bird, the friendly ground dove and two land snails are now listed as endangered species in American Samoa, marking the first time for animals in the U.S. territory to receive federal protections.
鈥淭he people of American Samoa have a rich cultural history of stewardship of their native fish and wildlife,鈥 said聽Mary Abrams, field supervisor for the Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office, in a news release Tuesday.
She said the listings under the Endangered Species Act will help the agency聽work with local leaders, partners, and the people of American聽Samoa to recover these five species so future generations of can聽enjoy what makes the territory’s seven islands and atolls in the South Pacific “so unique and special.鈥
Habitat loss, deforestation and introduced species聽like pigs, cats and rats have threatened the animals. There are now so few of these five species that even severe storms make them vulnerable, as well as human disturbance, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
