Defenders' Experts
Woodland Caribou Critical Habitat
Date Filed: 01/15/2009
Case Status: Victory
Defenders of Wildlife v. Kempthorne
In December 2002, Defenders and a coalition of conservation
groups filed a petition with the the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to
designate critical habitat for the critically endangered woodland caribou.
The agency ignored our petition for seven years, after which Defenders
filed a lawsuit against the agency for their failure to respond in January
2009.
On June 1, 2009, the Fish and Wildlife Service agreed to review our petition and make a determination of critical habitat as of November 2011, and should a designation of critical habitat be deemed warranted, issue the final designation by 2012. Though listed under the Endangered Species Act since 1984, the woodland caribou, now reduced to only a single herd in Northern Idaho and Canada, require the protection of their habitat if they are to avoid extinction.
Related Documents:
Complaint (1/15/2009)
Settlement Agreement (5/29/2009)
Press release (6/3/2009)
Co-filers:
Selkirk Conservation Alliance, Inland Empire Lands Council, Center for Biological Diversity
