Center for Biological Diversity asks U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to review 23 different species

In a continuation of its mass petition that led to the 2011 agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Center for Biological Diversity submitted a petition asking the USFWS to review the statuses of 23 different species. “In an effort to take a more cooperative approach, the Center contacted the Service and asked to review the list of species which were under threat of not receiving completed status reviews and to consider withdrawing some if information indicated this was warranted,” the group’s letter read. “Based on new scientific information, surveys, conservation actions, and the opinion of scientific experts, we hereby withdraw 38 species from the 2010 petition.” The letter addresses a total of 61 different species that were initially included in the 2010 petition. The 23 different species the recent letter addresses include mostly aquatic plants, insects, and crustaceans. — WLJ