Rare North Carolina salamander could get endangered species protections
A rare salamander only found in North Carolina is one step closer to getting federal protections.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Wednesday it would consider protecting the Hickory Nut Gorge green salamander under the Endangered Species Act.
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The salamander can only be found in the Hickory Nut Gorge, a 14-mile-long gorge in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, 18 miles south of Asheville. The area has been seeing rapid development, which conservationists say has been leading to a steep population decline among the salamanders.
Scientists with the Center for Biological Diversity estimate there are only a few hundred left on earth.
The Center petitioned to list the Hickory Nut Gorge green salamander under the Endangered Species Act in June 2022.
Should the federal government choose to offer these protections, the salamander’s habitat would be protected. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would also require a federal recovery plan to help restore its population.
The agency has 12 months to make a decision.
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