Friday, Jan. 17, 2025 | 3:42 p.m.
Three rare Nevada species may warrant protections under the Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said.
The Amargosa toad and Oasis Valley speckled dace, a small fish, are threatened with extinction from proposed mining operations along the Amargosa River in Nye County, the Center for Biological Diversity said.
Groundwater pumping at the mines could dry up the species’ aquatic habitats.
The speckled dace swim about the diverted stream relocated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service away from the Patch of Heaven church camp property in order to save an endangered fish on Tuesday, July 28, 2015.
Carson Valley monkeyflower, the third species that could gain protection, has lost half its range because of urban sprawl and development in Douglas County. It’s a small, annual wildflower with delicate yellow blossoms.
The Center for Biological Diversity said it petitioned the wildlife service to extend protections to the species.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries share responsibility for implementing the Endangered Species Act. The next step would be the service investigating the species risk to endangerment and if it needs conservation.
Species must be listed if threatened or endangered because of any of the five factors: Threat of destruction, modification or curtailment of its habitat or range; excessive use of the species for commercial, recreation, scientific or education reasons; disease of predation; inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms; other natural or man-made factors affecting its existence.
In Nevada, there are more than 300 endemic species. Around four dozen have federal or state protections.
“The decision gives the Amargosa toad, Oasis Valley speckled dace and Carson Valley monkeyflower a fighting chance at survival,” said Patrick Donnelly, Great Basin director at the Center for Biological Diversity in a statement. “Nevada is an epicenter of biodiversity and these rare species are staring down the barrel of extinction unless we take prompt action to protect them.”
Gold mining and urban sprawl are two of the biggest threats to biodiversity in the state, the center said.
Urban sprawl is the leading threat with the expansion of Carson City and the Minden-Gardnerville area. Other threats to the Carson Valley monkeyflower include invasive species, drought, feral horses, fuels management projects and off-highway vehicles.
“The Endangered Species Act is the most powerful law in the world at preventing extinction,” Donnelly said. “We’re going to keep pressing this issue until Nevada’s special critters get the protection they need.”
