A rare pink-gilled salamander found only in East Tennessee caves may receive federal protection, following a new agreement between environmental groups and wildlife officials. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will reevaluate the Berry Cave salamander’s status by August 2029, potentially reversing its 2019 decision to deny the species protection. The agreement stems from a lawsuit filed by the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) and the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) in 2024. Environmental advocates argued that the 2019 denial of protection violated federal law and may have been influenced by an agency quota system for denying species protections. “This … Continue reading Rare Tennessee Cave Salamander Gets Second Chance at Federal Protection