Conservation groups are planning to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over a decision to deny eastern hellbenders protection under the Endangered Species Act.
The service determined that an Endangered Species Act was not warranted for North America’s largest salamander in a 2019 decision. The Missouri population of Ozark hellbenders were, however, declared an endangered species under the act.
The Center of Biological Diversity and other groups filed a formal notice of intent to sue the service on March 4, according to a news release from the center. The center, a national and nonprofit conservation organization, petitioned to protect the eastern hellbender under the Endangered Species Act in 2010.