Hi everyone! This is Emma. We’re posting this episode in honor of the Kids Podcast Party! A bunch of kids podcasters are doing an episode to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act. Check out the Nat Geo Kids Greeking Out podcast and their episode featuring all wolf stories! They will tell you about another podcast participating.

But first – I’m going to eat this epic burrito…

It’s the 50^th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act (ESA for short) and Earth Ranger Emma is SO excited. It’s all she can think about! She and the Earth Rangers HQ are posting this episode in its honor!

Thanks to a spicy snack for dinner, Emma is swept up into a super-vivid dream. She’s somehow found herself on an incredible journey back through time! Through her adventure, Emma learns all about the events that precipitated the ESA and started the environmental movement as we know it.

Where did Emma go?

During her time-traveling dream adventure, Emma ends up visiting Congress in 1914 and seeing the creation of the Lacey Act. Then she finds herself in 1962 New York City on the day a very important book was published. Finally, she ended up in Washington on the day the Endangered Species Act was signed into American law.

Why is the Endangered Species Act so special?

Some of you might be asking: “Why was the ESA created?”

Its goal was (and is) to protect endangered plants and animals and save them from extinction. Some of the first animals the ESA protected were the Humpback Whale, Black-Footed Ferret and Bald Eagle

Celebrating the ESA!

When Emma wakes up, she does some more research about the ESA. Although there have been some tremendous successes, sadly, there’s still a lot of work to be done.

As Earth Rangers, we know how important it is to care about the environment and all the living things in it. If you’re looking for inspiration or ideas about how you can help, you can check out the Missions section of the Earth Rangers app! 

What an adventure! Did you enjoy this little dream-escape? Were you aware of the ESA before this?
Can you name an endangered animal from the list?