22 New Endangered Species

Kelsy Brown

Staff Writer

Following an update in 2024, 22 new species have been added to the Massachusetts Endangered Species List by wildlife officials. With the 22 new additions, the total of native organisms—including plants and animals—rose to 453 endangered species in MA.

The Massachusetts Endangered Species List is updated nearly every five years by the MassWildlife’s Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program. When updating the list, the program looks into the species rarity in MA, its trend in population, and the overall threat posed to the species.

The new additions mostly consist of plants, which include but are not limited to: the Frog orchid, Bog sedge, and Willdenow’s sedge. The extension of endangered organisms also includes mammals, including: the Eastern red bat, Hoary bat, and Silver-haired bat. Butterflies, moths, and bees have also been added to the list, including: the Golden borer moth, the Acadian hairstreak butterfly, the Parnassia miner bee, and the Macropis cuckoo bee.

There are many reasons why a species may become endangered. Climate change, the introduction of invasive species, and hunting are just some of the reasons why species have been added to the list as of late. However, Jesse Leddick, the assistant director of the Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program in the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife argued in an interview with the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, “In Massachusetts in particular, the biggest threat is habitat loss.”

To address the crisis, Governor Maura Healey signed the Biodiversity Executive Order in 2023. According to mass.gov, the “goals [of the executive order] will focus on sustaining a full array of Massachusetts plants, animals, and habitats to survive and flourish while providing equitable access to nature and ensuring a climate-resilient landscape for the future.” With this executive order, there is hope for a nature-positive future not only in Massachusetts, but nationwide.

To help support endangered species, you can plant pollinator gardens to aid bees, become educated on endangered species in your local area, and reduce the use of pesticides.