The greater sage-grouse is a western icon, famous for its courtship ritual, which draws curious crowds every spring to witness the males perform an elaborate strutting display and
CRAIG, CO — A long awaited Resource Management Plan (RMP) for a treasured portion of Northwest Colorado was released today. The Bureau of Land Management’s Little Snake Field Office (LSFO) released the final proposal following years of input from local stakeholders, unbiased scientists and economists, and their own internal studies.
WASHINGTON D.C.- Today the United States Fish and Wildlife Service announced a warranted but precluded listing for the greater sage-grouse, adding the species to the candidate list under the Endangered Species Act. In response to this announcement, The Wilderness Society issued the following statements:
Nada Culver, Director of The Wilderness Society’s BLM Action Center in Denver, Colorado.
No matter which way you look at it greater sage-grouse are in trouble. With population declines of over 90% from a century ago, and with remaining habitats under continued pressure from threats such as oil and gas development, the greater sage-grouse is teetering on the brink.
The greater sage-grouse — a once abundant bird in Colorado and throughout the West — is declining at an unprecedented rate. Numerous threats, including expansive energy development, continue to severely impact the sage-grouse and its habitat. Because of these rapid declines, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) will decide in March whether to protect the greater sage-grouse under the Endangered Species Act.
