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I am pretty sure that the ESA mandates that a listed species which has achieved recovery goals must be de-listed. So the delisting of the recovered bald eagle was an action required by the Act rather than a publicity stunt.[/quote]

Actually not. Delisting is expected but not legally mandated. There are several species that were left on the list for many years after they have achieved recovery, before they were taken off.

The reasons are many and varied. But as Krijack eluded to, the ESA requires a monitoring plan to be in-place before delisting can occur. If there is no plan or no funding for the plan, delisting does not occur. Or if it does, the delisting decision can be challenged in court, and would be overturned if the plan is not in place, and funded. This actually happened with Peregrine falcon. In the mid 1990's, the Feds tried to delist it without a monitoring plan. The decision was challenged in court. The Feds lost. So they went back and developed a national monitoring plan for Peregrines. Subsequently, the falcon was successfully delisted in 1999. Monitoring is still going on today.