Arrr! The scallywags in charge be protectin' them rare lizards while the oil swindlers be wantin' their plunder!
2024-05-20
Arrr mateys! The scallywags in the government be sayin' that the dunes sagebrush lizard be in peril from all sorts o' modern shenanigans like energy plunderin' and climate tomfoolery. We best be keepin' an eye on these critters or risk walkin' the plank ourselves!
In a twist of events that would make even the hardiest pirate scratch his head, federal wildlife officials have declared the dunes sagebrush lizard endangered, matey. Arrr, they be pointin' fingers at future energy development, sand mining, and climate change as the culprits threatenin' this rare lizard's survival in the lucrative oil and natural gas basins of southeastern New Mexico and West Texas.The spiny, 2.5-inch-long critter be in dire straits, with much of its habitat fragmented and its chances of findin' a mate dwindlin'. Despite decades of legal battles between the government, conservationists, and the oil and gas industry, the decision be final - the dunes sagebrush lizard be walkin' the plank towards extinction.Environmentalists be cheerin' this decision like a pirate findin' buried treasure, while industry leaders be cursin' like a sailor caught in a squall. The Permian Basin Petroleum Association and the New Mexico Oil & Gas Association be lamentin' the decision as a federal overreach that could harm communities and industry alike.While some be claimin' that conservation efforts and voluntary agreements be helpin' the lizard, the Fish and Wildlife Service be warnin' that the risk of extinction be high. The dunes sagebrush lizard be facin' obstacles such as roads restrictin' movement and industrial development weakenin' its habitat.