Endangered Species Law & Policy

On October 18, 2012, the Center for Biological Diversity filed a petition (pdf) requesting that the California Fish and Game Commission list the Townsend's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii) as endangered or threatened throughout its range in California.  The petition states that the bat is in widespread decline throughout the western United States, and that the bat is "severely threatened by a combination of disturbance of cave and mine sites, loss of mine and cave habitat to mining, logging and urban development, white-nose syndrome and other factors."  The next step in the process is for the Department of Fish and Game to evaluate the petition on its face and in relation to other relevant information and determine in its opinion whether there is sufficient information to indicate that the petitioned action may be warranted.  The Department has 90 days from receipt of the petition to submit a written report to the Fish and Game Commission with its recommendation.