BREAKING NEWS

IN FOCUS

48 Kauai Species Protected Under the
Endangered Species Act

HONOLULU— In response to a 2004 petition and two lawsuits from the Center for Biological Diversity, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that it is finalizing listing for 48 species from the island of Kauai with designation of critical habitat. Most of the species are plants, and many have been waiting decades for protection. Two birds, Akekee (Kauai akepa) and Akikiki (Kauai creeper), were also included.

“Protection for these 48 species is long overdue,” said Tierra Curry, conservation biologist at the Center for Biological Diversity. “These 48 highly endangered species now have a shot at survival and recovery.”

Of the 48 species, 31 have been waiting for protection on the candidate list, in many cases for more than 20 years. In an effort to speed protection for species known to need protection, the Center filed a petition to list these and other candidates in 2004, a suit to force listing of all the candidates in 2006, and a notice of intent to sue in December over Fish and Wildlife’s failure to finalize listing of the 48 species within statutorily required timelines. Under the Endangered Species Act, Fish and Wildlife has one year to finalize proposed listings. In the case of the 48 species, the agency had proposed listing in October 2008.

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Contact: Tierra Curry