Changes to the definition of "harm" under the Endangered Species Act have Massachusetts conservationists worried for the future of endangered species habitat.

Now 50 years old, the Federal Endangered Species Act continues to play a key role in the survival of flora and fauna on-Island and across the nation. It has also inspired the creation of state conservation acts.

The North Atlantic right whale has officially been red-listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature — an ominous step for a species that has long teetered on the brink of extinction.