Dunes Sagebrush Lizard's Habitat Shrinks Over 95% Amid Texas Oil Boom

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The Center for Biological Diversity has stepped into federal court to defend endangered status for the dunes sagebrush lizard against Texas' legal challenge.

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After four decades of delay, the 2.5-inch lizard finally received endangered species protection in May 2024, which Texas now seeks to strip away.

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Oil and gas development in the Permian Basin has destroyed over 95% of the lizard's unique shinnery oak dunes ecosystem.

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"We've been fighting for decades to get these little lizards protected and we're not going to stop now," declares Jason Rylander of the Center's Climate Law Institute.

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Sand mining operations for fracking materials further threaten the lizard's already fragmented habitat, preventing isolated populations from finding mates.

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Sand mining operations for fracking materials further threaten the lizard's already fragmented habitat, preventing isolated populations from finding mates

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Though identified as a candidate for protection in 1982, the lizard's endangered listing was repeatedly blocked, requiring multiple petitions and lawsuits.

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The Fish and Wildlife Service has frequently failed endangered species, taking an average of 12 years for protection decisions instead of the intended 2-3 years.

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