U.S. Fish and Wildlife

The Endangered Species Act, signed into law by President Nixon in 1973, has been an incredibly successful piece of legislation, preserving roughly 99% of the listed species. Recently, several federal agencies have come together to propose a revision. The proposal would change the definition of harm to a threatened species to no longer include destruction of habit, only immediate bodily damage and harassment. KDNK’s Lily Jones sat down with Delia Malone, an ecologist for the Colorado Natural Heritage Program, to find out more.

Sagebrush country is losing a million acres a year due to a variety of factors, including invasive species, development, harmful grazing practices and climate change. But the ecosystem is still thriving across parts of Wyoming, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists say preventative measures now could save money in the future in some of these “core” ecosystem areas.