Lawsuit Launched Over Failure to Protect 26 Species

When it comes to saving endangered animals and plants, every day of delayed protection is one day closer to extinction.

That's why this week the Center for Biological Diversity filed a notice of intent to sue the Trump administration for failing to make protection decisions for wolverines and 25 other species under the Endangered Species Act.

A 2016 plan developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service promised decisions on whether to protect rare and vanishing American wolverines, Franklin's bumblebees, elfin woods warblers, Miami tiger beetles and others. But the feds have dropped the ball on that promise.

"Political interference and neglect are pushing every one of these species toward the brink of extinction," said the Center's Noah Greenwald. "That needs to end now."

Read more and consider donating to our Endangered Species Act Protection Fund.

Join the Fight to Save Wolves in 2019

The Trump administration is gearing up to strip protection from nearly every wolf in the lower 48 states.

It will be a devastating blow to one of America's most iconic species — returning to the days when wolves were shot on sight, killed in traps and relentlessly persecuted. Members of Congress, and even some states, are also gunning for them.

We're fighting back with the Call of the Wild campaign — a grassroots operation that combines local organizing, legal action and political pressure to ensure a real future for America's wolves.

You can be part of this nationwide effort to save wolves. Hundreds of volunteers took part in our kick-off webinar last night, but we need everyone in this fight.

Join the campaign.

Win for Martens: Oregon Must Take a New Look at Trapping

Fewer than 200 fierce, furry Humboldt martens survive in Oregon, endangered by historical trapping and forest clear-cutting. Now, under a legal agreement with the Center and allies, the state has agreed to issue new rules on trapping the rare creatures by next September.

Human-caused mortality of just two or three martens a year could wipe out their population on the central coast in three decades — and three coastal martens were killed by traps yearly in 2013 and in 2014.

"Humboldt martens are Oregon's feral teddy bears that shouldn't be sacrificed for their fur," said Tierra Curry, a Center scientist. "Marten pelts sell for as little as $20 each, but saving the subspecies is priceless."

Read more in the Times-Standard.

Suit Seeks Emails on Trump's Red Wolf Extinction Plan

The Center sued this week to force the Trump administration to release emails related to developing a new, very controversial management plan for the world's only population of critically endangered red wolves.

Red wolves were once abundant across the Southeast, but now only 24 known wild individuals survive, in five sparsely populated counties in eastern North Carolina.

In June Trump's Fish and Wildlife Service proposed a rule that would shrink red wolves' protected range to 10 percent of the current size. It would also legalize the killing of any wolf wandering outside the newly restricted area.

Read more in our press release.

Suit Aims to Protect Utah, Arizona From Dirty Air

In places like Salt Lake City, Utah, and Pinal County, Ariz., fine-particle air pollution — from soot, smoke and other sources — can cause heart attacks, strokes, asthma, bronchitis and even death. So the Center and allies just gave notice that we intend to sue Trump's Environmental Protection Agency over its failure to enforce air-quality standards in parts of the two states.

"Nothing's more important than the air we breathe," said Deeda Seed, a Center campaigner in Salt Lake City. "The Trump administration has utterly failed to protect Utahns from one of the most dangerous forms of pollution."

Utah Gov. Gary Herbert said he recognizes the air-quality problem and recommended $100 million in his most recent budget to help address it.

Read more in The Salt Lake Tribune.

Spread the Love by Giving Away Condoms on Valentine's Day

Our Endangered Species Condoms are a fun way to start conversations about the link between unsustainable human population growth and the species extinction crisis. Especially on a holiday when people are known to get busy.

Each package shares information about a threatened species and what we can do to save space for wildlife. Our network of activists and volunteers distributes these free condoms in their communities.

We plan to give away 40,000 of our condoms this Valentine's Day, and we need your help.

Sign up to distribute Endangered Species Condoms on Feb 14. And check out our Pillow Talk schedule to see if there's a Valentine's Day event near you.

Wild & Weird: Adorable Embryonic Shark

Check out this footage of a baby shark hanging out inside an egg case attached to a coral colony. You can watch it on Facebook and YouTube.