Feds Invest to Save 580 Endangered Species |
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service just announced it’s putting $5.1 million toward crucial conservation work for four of the most imperiled groups of species in the United States: freshwater mussels in the Southeast, desert fish in the Southwest, Hawaiian and Pacific Islands plants, and butterflies from coast to coast. The Service says the move will help save more than 580 species protected under the Endangered Species Act, including Hermes copper butterflies, Texas hornshells, and Apache trout — as well as the very last håyun lågu tree in Guam.
“The Center for Biological Diversity has been fighting for years to ensure these unique, often overlooked species remain part of our natural heritage,” said Stephanie Kurose, a Center policy expert. “This initial investment provides a much-needed lifeline to these species that have slipped through the cracks.”
Tell Biden this is a great start, but these plants and animals need more. |
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Say No to Carbon Waste Dumping in U.S. Forests |
National forests in the United States are essential and irreplaceable. They preserve precious habitat for a wide diversity of plants and animals, provide health and enjoyment to recreationalists, and play a key role in fighting climate change. But now the U.S. Forest Service is planning to allow carbon waste dumping in national forests. We can’t allow the nation’s forests to be used as a dumping ground for fossil fuel companies and other industrial polluters. Not only would carbon storage require the buildout of dangerous pipelines, injection wells and roads — it would also pose potentially deadly risks to people and wildlife. Carbon dioxide leaks are highly hazardous and can lead to suffocation and even death. We need to stop this dangerous proposal in its tracks. Tell the Forest Service to scrap its upcoming proposal to allow carbon waste dumping in U.S. forests. |
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Dozens of Southern Animals, Plants Closer to Help |
After a Center lawsuit, the Fish and Wildlife Service has agreed to issue long-overdue decisions on whether 31 Southeast species (and two in the Southwest) deserve Endangered Species Act protection. They include Miami cave crayfish, Texas kangaroo rats and Georgia blind salamanders. “We could lose 2 out of every 5 wild species if we don’t act now, so we need urgency from the Service, not delays,” said Tierra Curry, a senior scientist at the Center.
These 33 critters are just a few of the many waiting to receive protection. Tell the agency to do its job and fix the listing process. |
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Win for Nevada’s Ash Meadows Refuge
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After a suit by the Center and local partners, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management just officially took back its greenlight of a lithium-mining exploration project at the edge of Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. This desert oasis in southern Nevada has the United States’ densest concentration of unique endangered species, including Ash Meadows Amargosa pupfish, Ash Meadows speckled dace, insects called Ash Meadows naucorids, and yellow-flowered plants called Ash Meadows sunrays.
“Conservationists have been working to save Ash Meadows for more than 50 years,” the Center’s Patrick Donnelly told the Las Vegas Review Journal. “Our advice to Rover Metals is don’t let the door hit you on your way out. We'll be watching.” |
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Rally for Tribes’ Grand Canyon Monument Proposal |
Hundreds of people — including Center staff and supporters — gathered in Flagstaff, Arizona, last week to hear public comments overwhelmingly supporting a new national monument surrounding Grand Canyon National Park.
The million-acre Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument, proposed by the Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition, will safeguard Tribes’ sacred sites and the spectacular rimlands flanking the Grand Canyon. It will also protect the region’s precious aquifers, life-giving springs, and endangered species from uranium mining’s deadly pollution. Baaj Nwaavjo means “where tribes roam” for the Havasupai Tribe, and I’tah Kukveni means “our ancestral footprints” for the Hopi.
You can help: Tell the Biden administration to honor the wisdom of Tribal nations by designating this monument now. |
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Center Op-Ed: A Flawed Plan for Colorado Wolves |
Gray wolves once roamed Colorado by the thousands. Then came four decades of federal wolf trapping and poisoning on behalf of the livestock industry — ending in 1945, with the killing of Colorado’s last original wolf. Recognizing wolves’ importance, in 2020 Coloradans approved a proposition to bring them back. Unfortunately the state’s plan to manage reintroduced wolves calls for more killing.
Check out this new op-ed by the Center’s Michael Robinson to learn the solutions. |
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Rev. Billy for The Revelator: Jordan Neely’s Murder |
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That’s Wild: Rare Footage of Baby Peacock Turtles |
In the possibly first-ever video of their species hatching, 15 little Burmese peacock softshell turtles were recently captured on film in Myanmar. Named for the spots on their shells that look like the eyes on peacock feathers, the once-abundant turtles are now among the most endangered freshwater animals in the world.
The video was taken by volunteer “turtle guardians” with Fauna & Flora International, who protected and patrolled the nest sites while waiting for the eggs to hatch. After they hatched and were briefly studied, the babies were released back to the wild.
Watch these tiny turtles make a break for it on Facebook or YouTube. |
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Center for Biological Diversity
P.O. Box 710
Tucson, AZ 85702
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