A bald eagle in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park

© Kathleen Reeder Wildlife Photography/Getty Image

The Endangered Species Act, 45 years later. A species no longer at risk

This magnificent bird of prey flies over Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. The bald eagle is part of a conservation success story, for our national bird was once headed toward extinction. A rapid decline in bald eagle populations was one of the motivating factors in establishing the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The chemical pesticide DDT, previously thought to be safe, was causing high mortality rates for bald eagle chicks, as well as many other birds exposed to the chemical. DDT was banned, and the eagles’ numbers began to rise again.