Tucson Shovel-Nosed Snake Denied Protection Despite 39% Habitat Loss

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Ninth Circuit Court denies endangered status to Tucson shovel-nosed snake, ruling it lacks genetic distinction from western shovel-nosed species.

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Snake's unique red-black coloration deemed insufficient evidence for separate subspecies classification by appeals panel.

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Center for Biological Diversity's 2022 lawsuit challenged Fish and Wildlife Service's rejection of endangered species protection.

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Center for Biological Diversity claims 39% of snake's habitat in Maricopa and Pinal counties eliminated by agriculture and urban development.

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Fish and Wildlife Service reversed its 2008 decision after USGS study showed snake shared habitat with Sonoran shovel-nosed species.

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Sonoran subspecies habitat spans 200 miles to California border, covering 2.4 times more area than previously thought.

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Late Dr. Phil Rosen, leading expert, argued snake's coloration reflected evolutionary adaptation to low desert environment.

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Center's 2020 petition cited Rosen's research separating Tucson shovel-nosed from larger Sonoran subspecies.

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Panel rejected arguments about fungal diseases affecting Arizona snake population as insufficient evidence.

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Center's Endangered Species Director Noah Greenwald plans future protection attempts with ongoing genetics research.

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