Endangered Species Act Under Fire | Tampa News

The Trump administration is rolling back key protections under the Endangered Species Act by removing the word “harm,” set to take effect September 14th — a move critics fear will dangerously weaken habitat safeguards for vulnerable wildlife like Florida’s manatees. While officials claim it reduces regulatory burdens and restores landowner autonomy, conservationists warn it erodes legal grounds for protecting species from degradation. Jamie Vaccaro of Zoo Tampa, which cares for record numbers of distressed manatees, says the change directly harms animals and expects conditions to worsen. Despite federal shifts, rescue centers remain on standby — urging the public to report any injured wildlife to Florida Fish and Wildlife. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/eaef573f6b236d56