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Tucson Audubon Society
Representative Raúl Grijalva and Others Urge Department of Interior to Keep Pygmy-Owl on Endangered Species List
Natalie Luna, Congressional Press Aide, U.S. Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva

Congressman Grijalva
Skyler

Washington, D.C. - In a letter to Craig Manson, Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva, along with eight other members of Congress, urged the agency to immediately cease the current efforts to de-list this species, and instead keep current protections for the endangered cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl in place. Representatives Nick J. Rahall (D-WV), Edolphus Towns (D-NY), Ed Case (D-HI), Michael R. McNulty (D-NY), Sam Farr (D-CA), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), and Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) also signed the letter.

"Over the last three years, the Bush Administration has been steadily chipping away at the Endangered Species Act (ESA), our nation’s most important wildlife conservation law," said Grijalva. "Perhaps most insidious is the Administration’s practice of using the cover of industry lawsuits challenging endangered species regulations as an excuse to undo vitally-important protections for endangered and threatened species. Such legal attacks have little or no merit."

"I have recently been made aware that instead of providing the information requested by the court, officials at the Interior Department intend to use the court’s ruling as an excuse to eliminate all legal protections for the pygmy-owl in Arizona. This appears to be at the home-building industry’s bidding, despite scientific evidence and the court’s own ruling which both establish that the species is on the verge of extinction in Arizona," Grijalva replied.

Available information indicates that there are no more than 18 pygmy-owls remaining in Arizona. Should the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service move forward with its plans, it will spell the end of the existence of this species in the United States.

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This page was updated on 04/25/06