Additionally, preservation of entire ecosystems is the emphasis now in the environmental community, which is very hard to sell to Congress. True, politics is one ever-present beast which will probably never be on anyone's endangered species list. One loud voice in this regard is their personal economy. We environmentalists fail when we passionately argue a point not clearly researched or not strongly supported by the facts. In the end if an issue is real and is presented accurately it has the best chance for media attention.
Exaggerated claims tend to fall quickly by the wayside.
I am not trying to be judgmental here either positively or negatively, I am simply trying to present my understanding or impression of why some claims are quickly recognized as real while others seem to be ignored. Oh yes, you make a good point. National politics as well as international politics affect what is listed and what is not. The Endangered Species Act is after all a political document. Argonne National Laboratory, Division of Educational Programs, Harold Myron, Ph.D., Division Director.