Suit Against Methane-spewing Mine Brings Our Count to 143

The Center for Biological Diversity and allies just sued the Interior Department for unlawfully approving the expansion of Colorado's West Elk Mine — the state's largest industrial source of methane pollution. This challenge, filed last week, brings the count of Center lawsuits against Trump's administration to a whopping 143.

These lawsuits make a difference. With no checks on his power, Trump would be leaving a scorched Earth in his wake.

Through our legal work we've killed his worst proposals, including drilling in national monuments. We've slowed his blitzkrieg against science-based rules and policies. We keep winning necessary protections for imperiled wildlife. And our Freedom of Information Act litigation uncovers the lies and hypocrisy of Trump's industry pals, giving us a leg up in our fight for wildlife, climate, public lands and human health.

Learn about all 143 lawsuits at our Trump Lawsuit Tracker. And consider making a donation to support our fierce fight to protect the planet from Trump.

We're Fighting to Save the Home of a Jumping Mouse

New Mexico jumping mice are water-loving, super-jumping cuties who play important roles in their riparian ecosystems. They're also on the brink of extinction and protected as an endangered species.

Now they're facing a new threat from two cattlemen's associations, whose destructive grazing is a prime threat to the mice and their streamside homes. The livestock owners sued to remove the species' habitat protection — so we intervened to defend it.

"New Mexico cattlemen are threatening the very survival of these tiny, imperiled creatures," said Center attorney Ryan Shannon. "We had no choice but to file a motion."

Get more from our press release.

A very exciting sign of wolf recovery: Photos taken earlier this week could be the first wolf sighting in Colorado in four years. This particular animal most likely crossed into the state from Wyoming. Says Collette Adkins, our carnivore conservation director, "Colorado could once again be home to a wolf population." Get more from the Coloradoan.

UN Names Vaquita Porpoise Habitat in Mexico 'In Danger'

With as few as 10 vaquita porpoises left in the world, the United Nation's World Heritage Committee has declared their Gulf of California habitat as officially "in danger." The designation is a response to a 2015 petition filed by the Center and allies.

The small cetaceans have been driven toward extinction, in large part, by the illegal catch of a fish called totoaba, which is also endangered.

"This designation is a crucial step toward saving the last surviving vaquitas from deadly gillnets, but Mexico still has to act," said Alejandro Olivera, the Center's Mexico representative. "And it has to act now."

Get more from Fronteras.

Today Is World Population Day. Ready to Get Creative?

We're about to give away our 1 millionth Endangered Species Condom. To celebrate we're inviting you to write the next great condom-package slogan.

Think you can do better than "Wrap With Care, Save the Polar Bear" or "Cover Your Tweedle, Save the Burying Beetle"? Find an endangered species and share your best slogans for it on Twitter and Facebook using the #HumpSmarter hashtag and @centerforbiodiv handle. You can also email us submissions (with "Hump Smarter" in the subject line).

If you're chosen as our winner, we'll send you our 1 millionth condom package later this summer — and use your slogan in the newest versions of our condoms this fall.

Wild & Weird: Fungus Creates Sex-crazed Zombie Cicadas

Researchers at West Virginia University have discovered that a fungus growing in some cicadas contains chemicals like those found in psychedelic mushrooms.

That may sound groovy, but the effect of the fungus on the cicadas is far from copacetic. It causes the bugs' body parts like legs, butts and genitals to slough off — and meanwhile makes the males crazily try to mate with anything they bumble into.

Read more at WVU Today.