Current work in wildlife, rivers, public lands, and climate

A coalition of environmental groups today challenged the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (Service) refusal to consider designation of critical habitat for the endangered Northern Aplomado Falcon

The historic range of sage grouse included parts of sixteen Western states and three Canadian provinces. Since 1900 sage grouse populations have been reduced as their sagebrush habitat has been destroyed, degraded, and fragmented by human activities.

Today a coalition led by WildEarth Guardians gave notice to the Department of Interior and the US Fish and Wildlife Service of its intention to sue over the Service's decision to refuse Endangered Species Act protection to the prairie-dwelling swift fox.

The "not warranted" determination on the petition to list the swift fox as endangered is arbitrary and capricious, does not use best science, and illegally considers future conservation actions as a reason not to list the species.

Squirrel densities were found to be extremely low in comparison with most other regions and times.

On October 14, 2004 the FWS sent a letter to Dr. Nicole Rosmarino of WildEarth Guardians indicating it is likely that the FWS will not initiate a "substantial information" review on the Gunnison's Prairie Dog petition in FY 2005 without a court order.

The conservation group filed three Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests last fall to compel the Service to release information over the controversial plover listing withdrawal and then sued in July over a long overdue response to the requests.

There is growing recognition among scientists that one important way to address the mounting extinction crisis is to protect particular plants and wildlife whose conservation benefits associated species.

While the Service did release several thousand documents to the group three days after the July suit was filed, it is still withholding key information.

Notice of intent to sue