US environmental group to sue government over status of Pacific walrus as an endangered species
A national environmental organisation has filed notice that it will sue the federal government over its rejection of Pacific walrus as a threatened or endangered species.
The Centre for Biological Diversity gave the required 60-day notice on Thursday.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service in 2011 said walruses deserve the additional protection of being declared threatened because climate change has diminished much of their primary habitat, sea ice.
The agency delayed a listing because other species were a higher priority.
But it announced last week that it had concluded walruses have adapted to the lack of sea ice by foraging from coastlines.
Centre for Biological Diversity lawyer Kristen Monsell said there’s no question walruses are endangered and denying them protection is absurd and dangerous.
