The American bumblebee could be declared an endangered species in a proposed rule by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
The Federal Register rule to list the bee as endangered “presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned actions may be warranted.” The announcement comes in response to an August 2021 petition in support of the listing made by the Center for Biological Diversity.
“The American bumblebee was once the most common bumblebee species in North America, but without immediate action to protect it under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), it will continue its alarming decline towards extinction,” the petition stated.
The petition also said the population of the American bumblebee has declined by 98 percent in the last 20 years. Based on further review, the USFWS said it would issue year-long petition findings to address whether or not the petitioned actions are warranted per the 1973 ESA.
