Since 1973, the Endangered Species Act has served as the US's legislative ark for imperiled wildlife. But it has failed to recover all but a handful of the 1,300 species under its protection. In "Endangered," award-winning journalist Mitch Tobin uses firsthand accounts to show why so many species are at risk of extinction.
For nearly seven years, Tobin reported from the front lines of Endangered Species Act battles. He crisscrossed the Southwest in search of wildlife driven to the brink of extinction and solutions to the crisis. Tobin discovered that this region, with its urban sprawl, wasteful water use, and vulnerability to climate change, provides a snapshot of the issues facing species throughout the world.
Yet in one of the continent's hot spots for biodiversity, Tobin also found compelling examples of collaboration. With these examples in mind, he advocates a set of innovative policies that can preserve species and wild places.