A look at the 29 species the US Fish and Wildlife Service says may need federal protection

October 7th, 2009 Feds give sea otters habitat protection in AlaskaANCHORAGE, Alaska — Four years after being placed on the Endangered Species List, the dwindling sea otters of southwest Alaska on Wednesday were given an important recovery tool. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated nearly 5,900 square miles as critical habitat for sea otters in the Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea and Alaska Peninsula.

September 30th, 2009 Conservationists sue EPA over prairie dog poisonKANSAS CITY, Mo. — Two conservation groups are suing the Environmental Protection Agency for its decision to register pesticides that curtail prairie dogs.

September 30th, 2009 Shovelnose sturgeon proposed for listingBILLINGS, Mont. — The U.S.

September 9th, 2009 Federal judge says gray wolf hunts can continueBILLINGS, Mont. — A federal judge said Wednesday that gray wolf hunts in the Northern Rockies can go on, denying a request by environmentalists and animal welfare groups to stop the first organized wolf hunts in decades in Idaho and Montana.

September 2nd, 2009 Federal agency won't list butterfly as endangeredALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The U.S.

August 28th, 2009 Feds to consider protections for desert tortoiseFLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — The federal government has agreed to consider whether the Sonoran desert tortoise, a Southwest icon whose population has declined by half in the past 20 years, warrants protection under the Endangered Species Act.

August 18th, 2009 Agency says 29 species may need federal protectionSALT LAKE CITY — Twenty-nine species in more than 20 states — from a rare beach-dwelling plant in Yellowstone National Park to a caddisfly in Nebraska — may need federal protections to avoid extinction, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

August 13th, 2009 Wolf release in Mexico sparks concern in USALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — American wildlife officials and ranchers are raising questions over a plan to release a rare North American gray wolf to its historic range in northern Mexico: Will it stay south of the border and what can be done if it threatens livestock? The U.S.

August 11th, 2009 Groups push for special wolf protectionsALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — They're all gray wolves, but the Mexican gray wolf is notably different than its faraway cousins, and conservationists now say the animals need specific protection under federal law to avoid extinction.

July 22nd, 2009 Multiplying like bunnies? Not this jackrabbitALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Rabbits are certainly known for their propensity for multiplying, but one species of jackrabbit is having trouble keeping up.

July 8th, 2009 Senate hearing focuses on threats to wildlifeWASHINGTON — From a mysterious fungus attacking bats in the Northeast to the emergence of Burmese pythons in Florida, native wildlife is facing new threats throughout the country. Protecting wildlife from new diseases and invasive species is a top challenge facing state and federal officials.

June 30th, 2009 Protection sought again for giant, spitting wormsSPOKANE, Wash. — Fans of the giant Palouse earthworm are once again seeking federal protection for the rare, sweet-smelling species that spits at predators.

June 15th, 2009 Groups: US moved too fast on gray wolf de-listingTRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Environmental groups are suing the federal government over its decision to remove gray wolves in the upper Great Lakes region from the endangered species list.

June 11th, 2009 Judge finds violation in Calif. forest planningLOS ANGELES — Federal agencies violated the Endangered Species Act by developing plans for four national forests in California without adequately addressing the impact on endangered animals, a judge ruled.

April 28th, 2009 Rule limiting species protections revokedWASHINGTON — The Obama administration will again require federal agencies to consult with the government's wildlife experts before taking any actions that could impact threatened or endangered species. The Interior and Commerce departments said Tuesday they have revoked a last-minute rule change by the Bush administration that ended the consultation requirement.