Our national parks are home to awe-inspiring landscapes and iconic wildlife, including habitat for more than 600 threatened and endangered species protected by the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

National parks are the world's most critical "biodiversity anchors," protecting millions of individual animals across thousands of species. In the U.S. alone, the National Park Service manages habitats for over 400 endangered or threatened species. Globally, these parks act as high-value sanctuaries for the world's most iconic wildlife; for example, India's 106 national parks protect over 70% of the world's wild tigers and nearly the entire population of Asiatic lions. While it is impossible to count every insect or bird, these parks safeguard entire ecosystems—from the 1,500 species of fish in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park to the thousands of bison in Yellowstone. In 2026, as climate change accelerates, national parks are increasingly viewed as "climate refugia," premier corridors that allow animals to migrate and survive. Without these protected areas, scientists estimate that the global extinction rate would be ten times higher, making every acre of parkland a high-quality investment in the survival of our planet's complex and beautiful web of life.