The main reason species become endangered is human destruction of their habitat.
Many species now occupy small areas in a restricted type of habitat.
Such habitat must be conserved. The Endangered Species Act gives legal protection and requires a recovery plan for each listed species, unless such a plan will not promote the conservation of the species. A recovery plan identifies, describes, and schedules the actions needed to restore these plants and animals to a more secure condition. This may include captive propagation and reestablishment, such as in the whooping crane program, as well as protection and management of habitat. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the lead agency in administering the Endangered Species Act.