Amphibians and reptiles are in the midst of a profound, human-driven extinction crisis that demands immediate action.
With threats like habitat destruction, toxic pesticides and climate change, these animals are dying off at up to 10,000 times the historic extinction rate. This loss is especially alarming because frogs, salamanders and snakes play important roles as predators and prey in their ecosystems and are key indicators of ecosystem health.
That's why the Center for Biological Diversity in July 2012 filed a petition with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect 53 of our nation's rarest amphibians and reptiles under the Endangered Species Act. It was the largest petition of its kind in history to help an emergency situation -- but a year and a half later, the Service has yet to act.
These animals can't afford delay.
Please -- act now and urge the Service to move quickly to protect these rare amphibians and reptiles.
I am writing to urge the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to take action on the Center for Biological Diversity's July 2012 petition that seeks protection for four frogs, six turtles, seven snakes, two toads, 10 lizards and 24 salamanders under the Endangered Species Act.
[Your comment will be added here]
The Center was joined in its petition for these 53 amphibian and reptile species by several renowned scientists and herpetologists, including E.O. Wilson, Thomas Lovejoy and Michael Lannoo. Also, more than 200 scientists sent a letter asking that the Service review the status of the petitioned animals.
The Service is required to make an initial finding within 90 days of receiving a petition about whether protections may be warranted -- but more than a year and a half later, your agency has not acted. As you know, the 90-day finding is merely the first in a series of required decisions and simply asks the Service to determine whether the petition presents sufficient information to warrant further consideration, a process that requires few agency resources.
Scientists estimate that about 25 percent of the nation's amphibians and reptiles are at risk of extinction, yet only 63 of the approximately 1,500 U.S. species protected under the Endangered Species Act are amphibians and reptiles. Please take prompt action to ensure that these animals receive the Act's lifesaving protections before it's too late.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
