<P> In March, 1967 the first list of endangered species was issued under the act . It included 14 mammals, 36 birds, 6 reptiles and amphibians and 22 fish . </P> <P> This first list is referred to as the "Class of' 67" in The Endangered Species Act at Thirty, Volume 1, which concludes that habitat destruction, the biggest threat to those 78 species, is still the same threat to the currently listed species . It included only vertebrates because the Department of Interior's definition of "fish and wildlife" was limited to vertebrates . However, with time, researchers noticed that the animals on the endangered species list still were not getting enough protection, thus further threatening their extinction . The endangered species program was expanded by the Endangered Species Act of 1969 . </P> <P> The Endangered Species Conservation Act (P.L. 91--135), passed in December, 1969, amended the original law to provide additional protection to species in danger of "worldwide extinction" by prohibiting their importation and subsequent sale in the United States . It expanded the Lacey Act's ban on interstate commerce to include mammals, reptiles, amphibians, mollusks and crustaceans . Reptiles were added mainly to reduce the rampant poaching of alligators and crocodiles . This law was the first time that invertebrates were included for protection . </P> <P> The amendment called for an international meeting to adopt a convention or treaty to conserve endangered species . That meeting was held in Washington, D.C., in February, 1973 and produced the comprehensive multilateral treaty known as CITES or Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora . </P>

Which united states president established the us endangered species act of 1973