From Center for Biological Diversity, August 2011
"These unique Hawaiian species are a national treasure, and we're thrilled they'll be getting the Endangered Species Act protection they need to survive," said Center biologist Tierra Curry.
In a victory for some of Hawaii's most imperiled species, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed Endangered Species Act protection on Monday for three invertebrates and 20 plants native to the island of Oahu. The plant species, some with fewer than 50 individuals remaining in the wild, come from a variety of habitat types but are all threatened by habitat loss and invasive species. The three invertebrates -- the crimson, blackline and oceanic Hawaiian damselflies -- are delicate, iridescent-winged, dragonfly-like insects threatened by development, stream alteration and nonnative insects. When seized by a predator, the oceanic Hawaiian damselfly plays dead.
This good news for Hawaiian species follows the Center for Biological Diversity's landmark legal deal, struck last month, to move 757 imperiled species closer to protection, which included 19 of the 23 Oahu species; we'd petitioned for the 19 species in 2004. "These unique Hawaiian species are a national treasure, and we're thrilled they'll be getting the Endangered Species Act protection they need to survive," said Center biologist Tierra Curry.
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