As of 2019, over one million species of fish, reptiles, and birds were at risk of going extinct — a mass extinction at the same level as the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs.

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While these animals may not appear as cute as the polar bears people flock to see at zoos, their loss would be detrimental to ecosystems necessary for sustaining human life.

The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act was recently reintroduced by Senators Martin Heinrich (Democrat, NM) and Thom Tillis (Republican, NC) as a bipartisan effort to protect "uncharismatic" species without classifying them under the 1973 Endangered Species Act. The bill would annually provide $1.4 billion not just to state wildlife agencies, but also Indigenous tribes, for population restoration and conservation.

Wildlife agencies have often prioritized conserving “charismatic megafauna" — animals with symbolic value or widespread popular appeal — over the less aesthetically pleasing species, despite some uncharismatic animals remaining the most vulnerable.

“Without enough resources, state and Tribal wildlife agencies have been forced to pick and choose which species are worth saving," Heinrich said in a statement. "Instead of doing the proactive work that is necessary to maintain healthy wildlife populations on the front end, they have been forced into using reactive measures to rescue species after they are listed as threatened or endangered. We urgently need to change this paradigm and save thousands of species with a solution that matches the magnitude of the challenge."

Despite the bill failing to pass in previous years, Representative Debbie Dingell, who will be leading the legislation in the House, said that she is "optimistic about the progress we can make this year."

"Protecting our nation’s vast and diverse wildlife isn’t a partisan issue, it’s our responsibility, and we won’t stop working until this bill becomes law," she said.

Heinrich and Tillis both called on their constituents to pass the bill, with Heinrich adding that "passing RAWA into law will mean our grandchildren will be able to experience the same rich and abundant American wildlife — from bumblebees to bison — that we have been so lucky to grow up with.”