Wildlife advocates push protections for prairie birds

The Associated Press - February 15, 2019 10:27 am

Wildlife advocates have begun legal proceedings against U.S. officials for allegedly failing to protect a ground-dwelling bird species that has seen its habitat shrink due to farming and energy exploration.
The lesser-prairie chicken roams portions of New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas.
It was listed as a federally-threatened species in 2014. That was reversed two years later under court order.
The Center for Biological Diversity and two other groups on Thursday filed notice that they intend to sue the U.S. Department of Interior for not acting on their 2016 petition to restore protections.
Aerial surveys show lesser-prairie chicken populations trending upward in recent years and topping 38,000 birds in 2018. But the survey also raised concerns that drought over portions of the birds’ range could lead to a downturn in 2019.

 

Latest Stories

Arnold, Robinson run for more than 100 yards as OU stuns No. 7 Alabama 24-3

By CLIFF BRUNT AP Sports Writer NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma’s fans literally couldn’t wait to...

Morton, Brooks lead Texas Tech to a 56-48 win, keep OSU winless in Big 12 play

By HALLIE HART Associated Press STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Behren Morton and Tahj Brooks each accounted...

Fred Harris, former US senator from Oklahoma and presidential hopeful, dies at 94

By RIO YAMAT Associated Press (AP) — Fred Harris, a former U.S. senator from Oklahoma, presidential...