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Humans Lead the Pack as Scariest Creature
Contact: Dr. Nicole Rosmarino (505) 699-7404

Denver, CO Oct. 25. Today, WildEarth Guardians launched a weeklong series of actions to protect endangered “creatures of the dark” in celebration of Halloween. The actions WildEarth Guardians is taking are all aimed at compelling the U.S. federal government to protect (list) imperiled animals under the Endangered Species Act.

Monday, Oct. 25: filing suit to obtain protection of the Gila monster in the Utah portion of its range.

Tuesday, Oct. 26: filing a petition to safeguard 15 bats from around the world.

Wednesday, Oct. 27: filing suit to obtain listing of the Mexican wolf separately from other types of grey wolves.

Thursday, Oct. 28: filing a petition to list the massasauga rattlesnake.

Friday, Oct. 29: filing a petition to list rare tarantulas that are being imported into the U.S.

The featured creatures are feared and therefore often persecuted by humans. Another important threat for each is habitat destruction in various forms, including urban sprawl, logging, livestock grazing, conversion of natural habitats to crops, and other perils.

“These creatures have much more to fear from us than we do of them,” stated Nicole Rosmarino, Wildlife Program Director for WildEarth Guardians. “We’re asking the federal government to provide these endangered animals much-needed relief from centuries of persecution by humans,” Rosmarino continued.

This week’s blitz of actions for endangered species is the third such project by WildEarth Guardians in 2010, which marks the United Nations’ International Year of Biodiversity. This year, the group is spotlighting the importance of the U.S. Endangered Species Act, which is considered to be one of the most powerful environmental laws in the world, in stemming the global extinction crisis. The law is highly effective in preventing extinction: over 99 percent of the species listed under it remain in existence. Guardians’ previous projects were: from December 28, 2009-February 18, 2010, the group held its “BioBlitz” of daily actions to protect more than 100 species under the law; and from August 30-September 3, 2010, the group held a “Gulf Week,” a series of daily actions on Gulf of Mexico species harmed by the massive oil spill to show that the law can protect wildlife as well as the human communities on the front line of this petroleum disaster. “Full enforcement of the Endangered Species Act could be the United States’ contribution to the world in honor of this special year,” stated Rosmarino.

However, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has been slow to act on behalf of imperiled species. Mr. Salazar has listed just 1 new U.S. species outside of Hawaii since assuming his post at the beginning of the Obama administration. This is despite some 300 species awaiting listing under the law. Because of these failures, Guardians has called for Mr. Salazar’s resignation.

WildEarth Guardians is a formal partner in the United Nation’s Year of Biodiversity, in which “The world is invited to take action in 2010 to safeguard the variety of life on earth: biodiversity.”

For more information, contact Nicole Rosmarino at 505-699-7404 or nrosmarino@wildearthguardians.org.

Watch our halloween video Who’s Scary Now?