No. 1288, March 13, 2025

Legal Intervention Launched for Imperiled Lizards

After more than two decades of work by the Center for Biological Diversity and allies, in May the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service granted Endangered Species Act protection to dunes sagebrush lizards, who live in just one tiny area of West Texas and southeastern New Mexico — including the fossil-fuel rich Permian Basin.

Texas wasn’t happy, since federal safeguards could impede activities in the lizards’ habitat — so the state sued in September. This week the Center moved to intervene in the suit and defend dunes sagebrush lizards’ lifesaving protection. We don’t intend to let them down.

These 2.5-inch lizards have the second-smallest range of any North American lizard species, inhabiting a rare sand-dune ecosystem where they hunt insects and spiders and burrow into the sand to escape extreme temperatures.

Sadly dunes sagebrush lizards — and two other protected Permian Basin species — are still waiting for habitat safeguards. Tell the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to designate critical habitat now.

Demanding the Dirt on How NOAA Firings Hurt Sea Life

News reports say the so-called Department of Government Efficiency has already fired at least 700 employees of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — whose mission includes protecting critically endangered whales, sharks, sea turtles, and corals. By the time you read this, 1,000 more agency experts could be cut.

Exactly how much are ocean species, marine sanctuaries, and conservation programs already suffering? What devastating blows will land next?

We’re determined to find out, so we just filed a Freedom of Information Act request with NOAA. And we’ve already filed two lawsuits to protect the wild from DOGE.

Support the Center’s lifesaving work with a donation to the Future for the Wild Fund. Do it now and your gift will be doubled.

Spotted Owls and Marbled Murrelets Need YOU

The Northwest Forest Plan was enacted to halt and reverse the devastation caused by past logging and roadbuilding in Pacific Northwest forests. It has preserved millions of acres of public lands, improved water quality, and prevented the extinction of species like northern spotted owls and marbled murrelets.

Now the plan’s fate is in the hands of the Trump administration. Not surprisingly the timber industry is taking this chance to pressure the U.S. Forest Service to weaken the plan's protections and allow more logging — an irreversible mistake.

Tell the Forest Service to strengthen and expand the Northwest Forest Plan to preserve forests, wildlife, and watersheds.

Western Wolf Update: California 50, Southwest 286

Wolves are continuing along a sometimes joyous, sometimes tragic path to recovery in the U.S. West. California now has seven known wolf families, down from nine in late 2024, with about 50 known individuals.

“I’m a little concerned by what seems like slower population growth, but the evolving dynamics of California’s returning wolves are thrilling as we see wolves meet up with each other to establish or merge packs,” said Amaroq Weiss, our senior wolf advocate.

In the Southwest, Mexican gray wolf numbers are growing — at least 286 lobos now roam wild in Arizona and New Mexico, where their population increased by 11% between 2023 and 2024. But advocates worry about their future, under threat from Trump cuts to reintroduction staff and an ongoing crisis in the animals’ genetic diversity.

Federal Agencies Pause Montana Tree-Cutting Plan

In response to a threat of legal challenge from the Center and allies, the U.S. Forest Service and Fish and Wildlife Service announced Friday they’ll reconsider their approval of a large, destructive tree-cutting and burning plan in the Bitterroot National Forest.

The proposed Eastside project, in Montana, lies at the heart of key habitat for bull trout, wolverines, and grizzlies, all protected by the Endangered Species Act.

“Instead of protecting these species, the Forest Service has been pushing a massive habitat-destroying project under the guise of forest health,” said Kristine Akland, our Northern Rockies director. “It’s time to kill the Eastside project once and for all.”

Protect Montana’s Wolves From These Cruel and Reckless Bills

Montana’s legislature is advancing two dangerous bills that would devastate wolf populations.

The first bill, HB 258, would extend wolf hunting through June 15, letting hunters slaughter pregnant and nursing wolves in their dens with their pups. That would disrupt pack structures, increase livestock conflicts, and damage ecosystems.

The other bill, HB 259, would allow using thermal and infrared scopes to kill wolves on private land at night, encouraging reckless killing under the cover of darkness.

Wolves are a keystone species, playing an essential role in balancing nature. Montana’s wildlife officials should protect them — not put them in the crosshairs, prioritizing hatred and political gain over science and conservation.

Tell the Montana Senate Fish and Game Committee to vote “no” on HB 258 and HB 259.

The Revelator: Slim Shade

Cities around the world measure “shade equity” to understand where they need to plant trees — and help people suffering from deadly heatwaves. But to the Trump administration, “equity” is a dirty word, and now cities like Tucson, Arizona, find their federal funding at risk. Still, Tucson’s Mayor Regina Romero (also a Center board member) is determined to plant 1 million trees by 2030.

Read more in The Revelator and watch a video of Regina planting a tree at her own home.

If you don’t already, subscribe to The Revelator’s free weekly e-newsletter for more wildlife and conservation news.

That’s Wild: NOAA Hauls Up Uber-Cute Spiky Crab

A baby king crab in the Gulf of Mexico recently went viral for its cuteness. Collected by NOAA researchers who were looking for coral samples, the pink and spiky youngster isn’t the kind of king crab served in restaurants but a deep-sea dweller who prefers to live 650 to 6,200 feet below the surface.

If you haven’t seen it yet, take a gander at this video on Facebook.

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Photo credits: Dunes sagebrush lizard courtesy USFWS; green sea turtle by Ali Bayless, NOAA/NMFS/PIFSC, oceanic whitetip shark by Alexander Vasenin/Wikimedia Commons; northern spotted owl fledgling by Zia Fukuda/BLM, marbled murrelet by Rich MacIntosh/USFWS; wolf by Malia Byrtus/California Wolf Project; grizzly bear by Jim Peaco/NPS; gray wolf by Tracy Brooks/USFWS; planting a tree courtesy Regina Romero; screenshot of crab video courtesy NOAA.

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