About New Jersey's Endangered and Nongame Species Program

The Endangered and Nongame Species Program's (ENSP) mission is to actively conserve New Jersey's biological diversity by maintaining and enhancing endangered, threatened and nongame wildlife populations within healthy, functioning ecosystems.

The ENSP of New Jersey was created in 1973. The U.S. Endangered Species Act was passed that year and then New Jersey passed its own N.J. Endangered and Nongame Species Conservation Act.

The program is responsible for the protection and management of nearly 500 wildlife species found in the Garden State. These include the 73 species currently listed as endangered or threatened.

The ENSP staff works on projects to restore endangered wildlife, and also to protect and manage wildlife populations and habitats that are threatened.

They also provide information and technical assistance to the New Jersey public and have a volunteer Speaker's Bureau. The speakers go out to groups and schools to speak about the program and the need to protect New Jersey's wildlife. Groups often donate money after learning about the endangered species of their state.

The Endangered and Nongame Species Program's (ENSP) mission is "to actively conserve New Jersey's biological diversity by maintaining and enhancing endangered and nongame wildlife populations within healthy, functioning ecosystems.

Endangered species protection in New Jersey is amazingly NOT FUNDED THROUGH TAX DOLLARS. The ENSP is funded primarily through the Wildlife Tax Check-off on the state tax form and proceeds from the sale of "Conserve Wildlife" license plates.

These plates can be purchased at any time during the registration cycle at a Motor Vehicle Commission agency, at any New Jersey automobile dealer when buying or leasing a new car, or by calling 888-486-3339 (toll free in New Jersey) on weekdays for an application to purchase through the mail. Call 609-292-6500 from out of state.