Court Ruling Strips Endangered Status From Lesser Prairie-Chicken

On August 12, a federal judge in Texas stripped the lesser prairie-chicken of Endangered Species Act (ESA) protection. This is a major setback for the conservation of this Southwestern bird, famous for its elaborate mating rituals.

The southern population of the bird had been listed as endangered in New Mexico and parts of Texas. The northern population had been listed as threatened in Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and other areas of Texas.

It's been a tough road for the lesser prairie-chicken.

The lesser prairie-chicken has lost approximately 85% of its habitat and its population has declined roughly 97% since 1800. The bird has now been listed and delisted under the ESA multiple times due to lawsuits.

US Fish and Wildlife Service under the Biden administration listed the lesser-prairie chicken under the ESA in 2022. The states of Texas and energy industry groups filed suit against the federal government to contest the designation.

But with a new president in the White House, the Department of Interior made an unusual move of asking the judge to rule against it. Judge David Counts of the Western District of Texas sided with the Trump Administration’s claim that the Service's decision was built on a “serious defect” in its analysis and legal justification.