One year ago today a petition was filed seeking a long-overdue
critical habitat designation for the endangered Kemp' ridley sea
turtle in the Gulf of Mexico. These sea turtles were included in
the Endangered Species Act in 1970, and now in 2011, over 40
years later, the habitat vital to their survival has yet to be
given protections. Both the National Marine Fisheries Service
and the Fish and Wildlife Service are to blame, as they manage
the Kemp ridley's U.S. ocean and beach habitats, respectively.
Years of data show Louisiana barrier islands are a critical
feeding area and Texas nesting beaches are now part of the
healthy Kemp's ridley population. Ironically, the petition is
challenging the federal delays. Why the delays on habitat
protections, and the delay in the lawsuit over the delay? I wish
I knew. It seems the smallest sea turtle species on the planet
is the smallest of priorities for the public agencies that could
take action to protect them. I applaud the efforts of the
WildEarth Guardians, who file