Mr. and Mrs. Cactus Ferruginous Pygmy-owl, Meet the Feds

Since 1997, the cactus ferruginous pygmy-owls of Arizona have hooted and hunted happily under the protection of their classification as an endangered species. Then, along comes the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which rules that, while cactus ferruginous pygmies are "discrete from other pygmy-owls, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service did not adequately articulate that they are of sufficient biological and ecological significance to the whole pygmy-owl subspecies to qualify for listing as a distinct population segment." Which is government-speak for "kiss the endangered species list goodbye, Mr. and Mrs. Cactus Ferruginous Pygmy-owl."

Sure enough, the Fish and Wildlife Service, in response to the circuit court's ruling, has now published a proposal to remove the cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl from the list of threatened and endangered species. In addition, Fish and Wildlife will also withdraw its proposal to designate critical habitat for the pygmy owl. Does the government just not give a hoot? Get more details here...

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