The Gunnison Prairie Dog, which lives in Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico and Utah will get a second chance at landing on the endangered species list after a suit filed by Forest Guardians and 73 other plaintiffs reached a settlement last month over the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Agency's decision not to put the prairie dogs on the endangered-species list.The plaintiffs claimed the decision reflected interference by former Interior Department official Julie MacDonald, a political appointee whose meddling in other cases forced the agency to reconsider listing decisions on 10 other imperiled species.
One internal agency e-mail, sent two weeks before the decision not to extend endangered-species protection, read: "Per Julie please make the pd (prairie dog) finding negative."
One internal agency e-mail, sent two weeks before the decision not to extend endangered-species protection, read: "Per Julie please make the pd (prairie dog) finding negative."
The Fish and Wildlife Service acknowledged that the prairie-dog population has declined by 97 percent because of poisoning and shooting, sylvatic plague and habitat destruction.
Basically, it's the justice department, U.S. Attorney debacle, but with furry woodland creatures. At least the little guys are getting a "do over."
3 comments:
Are you sure that is a prarie dog? Looks a lot like a pine marten to me.
no it doesn't
If it is shorter than my kneecaps, has fur and is sitting in the middle of my scope...a pine marten it be.
Post a Comment