Fall 2022 Distinguished Professor - Dr. John Vucetich

|December 1, 2022|Theme: What is an endangered species?|

John Vucetich

Lecturer

Distinguished Professor Dr. John Vucetich  

Topic

What is an endangered species?

Research Statement

We know that red squirrels and raccoons are not endangered, and that pandas and tigers are endangered. But, if an endangered species is one that deserves special protections, like those afforded by the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA), then it is fair to say we have a disturbingly inadequate sense for what an endangered species is. The ESA provides a legal definition of an endangered species. That is, one that is “in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.” That definition has been interpreted through five different policies advanced over the past 20 years. Through a series of about 15 federal court cases, each policy has been rejected by the courts. The Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to develop a new policy in the near future. In this talk, I’ll review far-reaching concerns of this problem, including its ecological, philosophical, and political dimensions.

Six Questions With Dr. John Vucetich