Is it worth it for the animals? Thirty years ago, Congress passed a law to protect endangered animals. The Endangered Species Act of 1973 outlined the responsibilities of government and citizens regarding these animals. It requires that every five years species be assessed and decided whether they are OK, endangered, whose population is so low that they are in danger of extinction, or threatened, who are not as endangered, but whose population is quite small to cause concern. Threatened and endangered species are then placed on a list, the "red list", and monitored closely until conditions improve and population numbers increase enough for them to be removed. But how are these animals monitored and how can they be eliminated from the "red list"? To find the answers, many environmentalists and scientists have turned to technology. Technology has enabled scientists to help animals reproduce, improve their habitat and protect them. There are some disadvantages and opposing views on this issue. Is it worth spending money to use these technologies to save a species from extinction? And, even more importantly, is it right for man to intervene in nature? From cloning to satellites, technology has helped save many species from extinction, but is it worth it? A popular method of trying to increase the number of endangered species is in vitro fertilization or test tube babies. Scientists take sperm from a male and an egg from a female and combine them in the laboratory, then insert the embryo into a surrogate mother, which is usually inserted into a similar animal. For example, a Bengal tiger cub was born to a Siberian t...... middle of paper ...... female leatherback turtle and its habits to fully understand this critically endangered marine animal. Ryder, Oliver A. “Cloning Advances and Conservation Challenges.” Trends in biotechnology. 20. 6(2002): 231-32. This is an academic article. This explains the successes achieved in cloning the mouflon (an endangered sheep) and this could be a way to conserve endangered species in the future. Explain both the benefits and challenges of cloning for these purposes.9. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: The Endangered Species Act of 1973. Department of the Interior. May 20, 2003 http://endangered.fws.gov/.This is an official website provided by the United States Department of the Interior. Provides lists of endangered and threatened species, conservation information, as well as links to laws and regulations regarding endangered species.