CHAND: On Thursday, the US Fish and Wildlife Service announced that some of the most charming reptile species of California might get protection under the list of US Endangered Species Act.
The species that may win the protection include a snail restricted to the western Mojave; a fish native to a single lake in California, a tree that is present throughout the Pacific Northwest and a fly found only in the San Joaquin Valley.
The service officials have a year to decide whether the species native to California should be in the listing or just needs upgrading. It is said that the agency will think listing the Egyptian tortoise, the golden conure, the long-tailed chinchilla, and the Nevada native fish the relict dace.
The western pond turtle has lost alarming 99% of its habitat in some areas like the Willamette Valley in Oregon. “The Endangered Species Act is the most powerful tool available to save western pond turtles, so I’m really happy that these amazing reptiles are a step closer to the protection they so desperately need”, affirmed biologist Collette Adkins.
Western pond turtles are integral to the wild places and losing them would deprive those places. The agency received a petition last year from Center biologist Tierra Curry to consider listing the Mojave shoulderband snail.
