California condor  (Gymnogyps californianus) Thanks to a captive breeding and reintroduction programme using the last remaining 22 birds in the wild captured by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the skies of Southern California and northern Mexico are now home to some 200 of what Native Americans call the “thunderbird” - America's largest flying bird. The reintroduced birds remain susceptible to human induced threats such as lead-poisoning and garbage such as bottle caps that choke the birds.

IUCN Red List status: Critically Endangered
Endangered Species Act status: Endangered

IUCN’s SOS - Save Our Species has supported the conservation of California Condors from January 2012- December 2013

Black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) North America’s only ferret species is recovering thanks to captive breeding efforts using the last remaining 18 wild animals caught in 1981, which release hundreds of weaned animals each year. Yet its future remains insecure due to loss of habitat by conversion of grasslands to agricultural uses and the virtual disappearance of its prey - prairie dogs - persecuted as agricultural pests for much of the 20th century.

IUCN Red List status: Endangered
Endangered Species Act status: Endangered

American bison (Bison bison) Although now stabilised thanks to conservation efforts, the population of the North American bison underwent a drastic decline in the 19th century because of over-hunting, and has never fully recovered. National Refuges and Parks and State Parks play an important role in maintaining conservation herds of bison in Canada and the United States.

IUCN Red List status: Near Threatened
Endangered Species Act status: Threatened

Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) Despite conservation actions, human impacts remain a threat to the Loggerhead. Although monitoring efforts are improving, turtles are still being caught in fishing nets in the open sea and near to shore while uncontrolled development of coastal and marine habitats threatens to destroy the nesting beaches and feeding grounds of long-lived Loggerhead turtles.

IUCN Red List status: Vulnerable
Endangered Species Act status: Endangered

Rusty patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis) Once common and widely distributed in North America, the rusty patched bumble bee has undergone serious decline across most of its range. Experts recommend that all known and potential sites of this species should be protected from pesticides, habitat alteration, grazing, and other threats.

IUCN Red List status: Critically Endangered
Endangered Species Act status: Endangered

Olulu (Brighamia insignis) With only one individual remaining, the olulu is on the brink of becoming extinct in the wild. A hawk-moth species, which was the pollinator of the olulus, is now thought to be extinct. Hence, the survival of this species is dependent on human intervention for hand-pollination using pollen from plants grown in cultivation, in order for it to produce seed. Fortunately a good stock of plants are being grown and maintained in cultivation  that can hopefully be reintroduced into the wild at some point in the future.

IUCN Red List status: Critically Endangered
Endangered Species Act status: Endangered

Przewalski’s Horse (Equus ferus) Successful reintroductions have brought this species back from the brink. The population is currently estimated to consist of more than 50 mature individuals, free-living in the wild for the past seven years. Yet many threats remain for these reintroduced individuals: small population size and limited distribution, potential hybridization with domestic horses, and competition for resources with domestic horses and other livestock.

IUCN Red List status: Endangered
Endangered Species Act status: Endangered