Environment

Environmentalists want lynx protected in New Mexico

by Rachel Nixon | April 21, 2008 at 01:23 pm

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Conservationists and animal protection groups are suing the US Fish and Wildlife Service to try to force it to list the Canada lynx as an endangered species in New Mexico.

The lawsuit complains that the agency failed to make a finding on a petition filed by conservation groups asking it to make a decision on the cats' status within the required 90 days.

The federal government lists the elusive, furry cats as threatened in 14 states — but not in New Mexico.

"We've thought the Fish and Wildlife Service's position on lynx in New Mexico is very odd," said Nicole Rosmarino of WildEarth Guardians, one of the groups that sued. "Once lynx cross from Colorado into New Mexico — which they have been doing — they're suddenly not protected anymore. We don't think that makes any sense."

The Colorado Division of Wildlife, which has released more than 200 lynx in Colorado since 1999, tracked about 60 of the animals into New Mexico's Taos, Rio Arriba and San Juan counties between 1999 and 2006, the lawsuit said.

Fish and Wildlife officials have not seen the lawsuit and cannot comment on ongoing litigation, said Diane Katzenberger, a spokeswoman for Fish and Wildlife in Denver.

Last August, conservation groups petitioned for protection for the cats, asking the agency to make a decision on the species' status in New Mexico.