Only Eight Sacramento Mountains Checkerspots Found in Newest Survey
In response to a third legal petition from the Center for Biological Diversity, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today proposed protection for the Sacramento Mountains checkerspot butterfly under the Endangered Species Act. The orange-and-black checkered butterfly is found only in high-elevation meadows around the village of Cloudcroft in the Lincoln National Forest in southern New Mexico. Only eight butterflies and no larval tents could be found in the latest survey.
“This pretty little butterfly is on the brink of extinction because of delay and politically driven decisions by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,” said Noah Greenwald, endangered species director at the Center. “If the agency had protected the butterfly after our 1999 petition, there would certainly be more than eight butterflies left today.”
Denied Protection for Two Decades, New Mexico Butterfly Finally Proposed for ‘Endangered’ Status
In response to a third legal petition from the Center for Biological Diversity, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today proposed protection for the Sacramento Mountains checkerspot butterfly under the Endangered Species Act. The orange-and-black checkered butterfly is found only in high-elevation meadows around the village of Cloudcroft in the Lincoln National Forest in southern New Mexico. Only eight butterflies and no larval tents could be found in the latest survey.
“This pretty little butterfly is on the brink of extinction because of delay and politically driven decisions by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,” said Noah Greenwald, endangered species director at the Center. “If the agency had protected the butterfly after our 1999 petition, there would certainly be more than eight butterflies left today.”
Denied Protection for Two Decades, New Mexico Butterfly Finally Proposed for ‘Endangered’ Status