February 5, 2022 — Did you know that Hawaiʻi hawksbill sea turtles like to nest in beach vegetation? That giant manta rays are picky about the individuals they socialize with? That oceanic whitetip sharks were once the most abundant sharks in the ocean? How about that these three Pacific Islands species are all listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA)?

The ESA was signed into law on December 28, 1973. Under the act, the federal government must protect species listed:

• Endangered (those that are in danger of extinction)
• Threatened (those that are likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future)

Read the full story at NOAA Fisheries