If you’ve ever wondered if an animal on the endangered species list will ever be removed from the list, the answer is yes.

I don’t think I ever thought much about it, but I must admit I was quite surprised to learn that some species of animals have actually been removed from the endangered species database because… well… they were doing much better (with a lot of help) in terms of survival.

Just a few examples of animals that were once threatened with extinction (and may be again in the future), but are no longer endangered for various reasons:

• Southern white rhinoceros: Their population once numbered only about 100 animals. Today there are over 21,000 animals.
• Giant panda: The category has been downgraded from “critically endangered” to “vulnerable”. There are over 2,000 specimens living in the wild.
• Louisiana black bear: Once nearly extinct, they are now off the list as the population grows to nearly 750 bears.

Okay, guess what: How many Illinois animals do you think are on the endangered species list?

If you guessed that there are over 100 animals on this list, congratulations…not that over 100 endangered animals should congratulate anyone.

Perhaps the good news that over 100 animals are threatened with extinction in Illinois is the fact that none of Illinois’ endangered species are on the list of the top 10 most endangered animals in the United States.

EcoWatch.com’s list of most endangered animals in the United States includes:

1. Florida Panther
2. Florida Manatee
3. Red Wolf
4. California Condor
5. Black-footed ferret
6. Loggerhead turtle
7. San Joaquin Kit Fox
8. Mississippi gopher frog
9. Atlantic bluefin tuna
10. Woodland Caribou

As I was looking at the list of endangered animals in Illinois, I noticed that there were some that I had never seen before, even though I have lived in Illinois my entire life.

My grandfather grew up on a farm outside of Byron in the early 1900s and claimed that as a child he would often hear wolves howling at night (remember he was born in 1903) and would be frightened to death by them.

The good news is that children in the Byron area no longer hear wolves howling at night. The bad news is that they have become very rare. I have never seen one in the wild in Illinois.

AZ-Animals.com:

Gray wolves (Canis lupus) are a special species of wolf that was once common in several regions of North America, including Illinois. Today, they are considered the largest wild canine species in Illinois. Scientists estimate that there were once about two million of them in North America alone. Due to clashes with humans and the destruction of their habitat, gray wolves are critically endangered in Illinois.

Then we have Franklin’s ground squirrel

Because the squirrels are listed as endangered, the Illinois government has declared that the abuse, capture, or killing of these squirrels by humans is strictly prohibited and illegal. Plus, they’re pretty cute.

Next on the list is the Short-eared Owl

AZ-Animals.com:

The short-eared owl (Asio flammeus), also known as the marsh owl or grass owl, is one of the most unique birds in the world. Unfortunately, it is one of Illinois’s endangered species. The owl was once the most common bird species in the state until its habitat loss became a huge problem.

Click here to view the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ list of endangered or threatened animal and plant species.