The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) proposed in a Sept. 26 Federal Register listing to revise regulations for 11 species treated as listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) due to similarities in appearance.
The proposal relates to the conservation of the Pearl River map turtle, bog turtle, Miami blue butterfly, desert tortoise, Florida panther and pallid sturgeon. The agency proposes to amend or remove regulations for 11 species that are similar in appearance. USFWS said the proposal will eliminate unnecessary regulations and ensure that species treated as endangered or threatened meet the required criteria of the ESA.
“These protections are still sorely needed to protect the imperiled species from further decline and to keep these look-alike animals from becoming threatened or endangered themselves,” said the Center for Biological Diversity.
