US cancels automatic protections for imperiled animals, critics warn of extinctions

The US Interior Department has rescinded a rule that offered automatic protections to species listed as threatened with extinction. This move, part of the Trump administration's broader efforts to dismantle key provisions of the Endangered Species Act, is intended to reduce regulatory burdens on industries.

Under the new policy, species designated as threatened will no longer receive automatic safeguards. Instead, they will require the development of individualized protection plans, a process that critics argue is time-consuming and susceptible to industry influence. Companies involved in oil and gas drilling, mining, and other development projects could seek exemptions, potentially allowing activities in habitats crucial for these species' survival.

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Success should be measured by species recovery and delisting, not by adding more species to the list.

Environmental groups and conservationists express grave concern, warning that these changes will significantly impede efforts to save vulnerable wildlife. Species such as monarch butterflies and alligator snapping turtles, already facing significant threats, could be pushed closer to extinction. Noah Greenwald of the Center for Biological Diversity stated that exempting industries that cause habitat destruction effectively exempts the primary threats to these species.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum defended the changes, asserting that the Endangered Species Act has been misused to halt projects and undermine competitiveness. He argued that success should be measured by species recovery, not by adding more species to the protected list. A second finalized change mandates the analysis of economic impacts when determining critical habitat, a provision critics fear will give corporations undue influence over development decisions.

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If you're exempting certain industries that cause habitat destruction, in many instances you'll be exempting the main threat to those species.