The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced this week the federal agency would consider re-listing the lesser prairie chicken as an endangered species. The announcement comes despite the fact a Texas court ordered the agency to withdraw a proposal to list the lesser prairie chicken as an endangered species last year. The Fish and Wildlife Service in May dropped an appeal against the court order, ending the agency’s pursuit of listing the lesser prairie chicken. The agency gave no explanation for dropping the appeal, saying only that efforts to protect the species would continue, according to DTN. The Fish and Wildlife Service says the reconsideration follows a petition to list the lesser prairie chicken as endangered. The Agency will again conduct a status review of the species to determine what action to take. However, Oklahoma Republican Senator Jim Inhofe, who chairs the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, says he is hopeful private/public conservation efforts to preserve the bird would be allowed to work. Inhofe says he is confident the incoming Trump administration is aware that state conservation is sufficient to protect the lesser prairie chicken.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting news service.
Image credit: Lesser Prairie Chicken From The Crossley ID Guide Eastern Birds, Richard Crossley/Wikimedia Commons.