Conservation group sue border fence project over threatened jaguars
Jaguars have been on the federal endangered species list since 1997; conservation group sues the Bush administration over the U.S.-Mexico fence project, saying project will jeopardize endangered animal
A conservation group is suing the Bush administration over construction of a fence along the Arizona-Mexico border, saying it jeopardizes the survival of jaguars in the region. The Center for Biological Diversity filed the lawsuit Wednesday in federal court asking the court to require the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to develop recovery and protection plans for jaguars that have been seen roaming Southern Arizona. The conservation group wants jaguar protections similar to those put in place for the Mexican gray wolf.
The federal government has been constructing new border security walls and barriers along the Mexican border. DHS says it can bypass some environmental and other regulations because of security needs. Environmental and conservation groups disagree with those waivers. Jaguars have been on the federal endangered species list since 1997.
