What animals have been brought back from the brink of extinction?

Giant Panda

Last year, Chinese officials announced that the giant panda, the country’s national animal, was no longer classified as endangered. In the late 1970s, the wild population of giant pandas was estimated at around 1,000. However, thanks to extensive government recovery efforts, their numbers have nearly doubled since then.

Interestingly, researchers use innovative methods to estimate panda populations. According to WWF, teams scour mountainous forests for panda dung and chewed bamboo. The bite marks on the bamboo are especially valuable, as each panda’s bite is unique, much like human fingerprints.

Despite these conservation successes, giant pandas still face significant challenges, including poaching and habitat loss caused by farming and tourism.

Bald Eagle

The iconic national bird of the United States, the bald eagle, was nearly driven to extinction due to decades of hunting, habitat destruction, and the widespread use of DDT—a toxic pesticide that contaminated waterways, fish, and, ultimately, the eagles that consumed them.

By the 1960s, the population had dwindled to just 487 nesting pairs across the country. In response, the bald eagle was listed under the Endangered Species Act in the 1970s, and the use of DDT was banned.

Thanks to these conservation efforts, bald eagle populations rebounded dramatically and were officially removed from the federal endangered species list in 2007. Remarkably, this species, which can dive at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour (160 kilometers per hour), has become a symbol of successful wildlife recovery.