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Rare Texas Lizard Could Gain Endangered Status
Rare Texas Lizard Could Gain Endangered Status
Government Issues Positive Finding on Guardians’ Petition
Contact: Nicole Rosmarino (505) 699-7404
Washington, DC-May 23. TheU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is publishing a decision in tomorrow’s FederalRegister that the Spot-tailed Earless Lizard warrants further review for protection (listing) under the Endangered Species Act. The decision comes in response to a January 2010 petition filed by WildEarth Guardians.
“The spot-tailed lizard is in decline and would greatly benefit from legalsafeguards under the Endangered Species Act,” stated Nicole Rosmarino ofWildEarth Guardians. “Facing threatsfrom fire ants, agricultural chemicals, and destruction of its prairie habitat,the lizard needs a helping hand.”
In its decision, the Service recognized threats to this lizard from predationby non-native fire ants, which can kill lizard adults, hatchlings, and eggs.Habitat destruction can facilitate fire ant invasions.
Guardians demonstrated in its petition that a variety of threats –alongside fire ants – are pushing this lizard to extinction. These includeagricultural chemicals, climate change, habitat loss, and a driver of thesethreats – human population growth. Scientists believe agricultural chemicals are thetop threat to the lizards along with loss of habitat to cropland anddevelopment.
This lizard occurs in Texas and northern Mexico. While theService recognized climate change may imperil this species, the agencyrefrained from officially finding it to be a threat to the species. However,Guardians’ petition showed that, under climate change predictions, if thelizard’s range gets hotter and drier or wetter, the lizard loses in eitherscenario. They may not be able to keep their skin moist enough during longer,hotter droughts. More rain would increase plant growth and height, forcing the animalsout of their territory.
Guardians petitioned the Spot-tailed Earless Lizard (Holbrookia lacerata) as part of “Prairie Week” during its BioBlitzes in 2010. Other species for which Guardians tookaction (either petitions or lawsuits) during Prairie Week were: the PlatteRiver caddisfly, prairie chub, Texas kangaroo rat, and the Scott’s rifflebeetle. The prairie chub and Texas kangaroo rat received positive petition findings earlier this year and are currently the subject of Endangered SpeciesAct status reviews.