How many ESA-listed species have gone extinct

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) protects about 1,400 species of plant and animal.  PolitiFact did a nice review recently of a politician's claim that few full species recoveries have happened under the law.  True claim, but it hides the fact that around half of listed species are moving toward recovery.  But what about the flip side?  How many species have gone extinct? 

Fourteen species are identified as 'presumed extinct' by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in their most recent report to Congress.  Another 10 species have already been taken off the endangered species list - i.e. they are formally extinct.  That makes 24 species being reported as extinct.  

In addition, there is a whole genus of Hawaiian snails - 42 species - whose status is hidden because they were all listed in 1981 as a single entity and continue to be reported that way even though they are unique species (a problem for another post).  How many of these are extinct?  The most recent 5-year status review for these species describes 13 species is this group as presumed extinct.  So that is 37 - 37 extinct species.

Also, scientists consider 11 more snail species to be alive even though they haven't been since since before 1981.   These extinctions are really not associated with the ESA -  most of them were probably extinct, sometimes decades, before they were added to the endangered species list in 1981.  That would be 48 species, but I wouldn't count these ones since scientists haven't called extinction on them yet. 

Hawaiian snails are a different and more beautiful beast than the common ones you might have in your garden. The 5-year status review is a worthwhile review of the plight of these beautiful, disappearing animals.  For example one species - Achatinella apexfulva - is down to only one snail left in captivity and none known in the wild.  Philosopher, Thom van Doreen has a nice post about this snail here. This may be the most endangered animal on the endangered species list yet it doesn't even get a mention in biennial agency reports. 

These are the 13 Hawaiian snail species that are apparently extinct (and the last time they were seen):

Achatinella lehuiensis	1922
Achatinella spaldingi	1938
Achatinella rosea	1949
Achatinella valida	1951
Achatinella elegans	1952
Achatinella vittata	1953
Achatinella juddii	1958
Achatinella caesia	1990
Achatinella thaanumi	rare since 1900
Achatinella juncea	unknown
Achatinella decora	unknown
Achatinella casta	unknown
Achatinella papyracea	unknown