There were many decades in which the U.S. national symbol was believed to be headed for extinction, but the species has since made a remarkable comeback. In 1940 the bald eagle was declared to be endangered, and to protect it from hunters the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection act was passed. DDT offered another threat to the survival of the bald eagle, and continued to feed the decline in numbers after the birds were no longer hunted. In 1963 the numbers of breeding pairs was only 417, leading to the 1973 inclusion in the list of endangered species.

Far from the expected extinction of the treasured national symbol, the bald eagle has since made a dramatic recovery. Today the number of bald eagle breeding pairs is almost 10,000 and it is no longer listed on the endangered species list. But, experts will not leave the bald eagle vulnerable to decline again. The bald eagle's numbers will be monitored for a few years to make sure they do not begin to decline again. If at any time the eagle's numbers begin to decline, there is the possibility of the animal being relisted on the endangered species list for continuing protection.

Even without being reclassified as endangered, the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act is still there to keep the animal from being hunted. There is also protection afforded to the eagles from an act passed in 1918- the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The act was passed to protect migratory birds, such as the bald eagle, in other countries that share birds with the U.S. due to migration. For eagles that make their way into Canada or Mexico, the treaty is in effect in those countries to stop the trade of eagle feathers, eggs and other parts that could make the hunting of eagles lucrative.

Since DDT was banned in 1972, bald eagles have enjoyed further protection from decline. DDT was found to be a major factor in the downfall of the bald eagle, as well as many other animal species, as the toxic chemical found its way through the food chain. This chemical eventually made its way from the waterways and into the eagles. Bald eagles ate fish caught from the contaminated waters. The affected eagles were unable to produce eggshells that were hard enough to keep from cracking before the incubation period was over. Bald eagle eggs from contaminated mothers were so thin that the mothers often broke the shells during the incubation period. Today the threat of DDT is largely over and bald eagles can catch fish, roam the skies and keep increasing their numbers.

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