ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT PROFILE

PROTECTION STATUS: Not listed; proposed as endangered

PETITIONED: 2002

YEAR PLACED ON LIST: Candidate 2002

RANGE: Chaves, Eddy, Lea, and Roosevelt counties in New Mexico; and Andrews, Crane, Gaines, Ward, and Winkler counties in Texas

THREATS: Habitat destruction by oil and gas development and herbicide spraying, competition from other lizard species

POPULATION TREND: The dunes sagebrush lizard possesses many characteristics of a species at risk of extinction. It is an extreme habitat specialist, has a restricted and fragmented distribution, and is rapidly losing habitat.