Recovery is not a fast process; it takes time to address threats that were years in the making. The first milestone in recovery is halting the decline of the species. Next is stabilizing the species, followed by increasing its numbers and distribution—finally to the point that it is secure in the wild. One measure of the success of the Endangered Species Act is its rate of preventing extinctions: 99 percent.
If it is determined that the threats have been eliminated or sufficiently reduced, delisting or downlisting the species may be considered. The first step is publishing a proposed rule in the Federal Register and seeking review and comment by other federal agencies, state biologists, and the public, as well as the advice of independent species experts.
After analyzing the comments, the Service responds to them and announces a final decision in the Federal Register, either completing the final rule or withdrawing the action and maintaining the species' status. Species are removed from the endangered and threatened species list for a variety of reasons, including recovery, extinction, or new evidence of additional populations.
