Wildlife and endocrine disrupters: Requirements for hazard identification

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>The increasing demands of the global economy and our growing human population exert profound effects on the ecosystem. As a species, we have an essential need for quality air, water, and soil and a diversity of living organisms, so any vision of a sustainable future must be formulated on the basis of their protection. Decisions on the most effective ways to protect ecosystems must be prioritized on the basis of science and our understanding of the most important factors that affect wildlife populations. In the case of endocrine disrupters, it is important that further research be conducted (1) to determine the status and trends of wildlife populations and the evidence for a widespread effect of endocrine disrupters, (2) to determine the extent to which species differences in the mechanisms that control reproduction and development will affect their sensitivity to endocrine disrupters, and (3) to ensure full validation and refinement of new test methods for assessing the effects of endocrine disrupters across diverse species. Premature implementation of testing and assessment methods for endocrine disrupters, without appropriate consideration of the above points, may result in assessment schemes that placate public opinion but neither alleviate the major factors affecting wildlife populations nor protect diverse species with distinctive endocrine systems.</jats:p>