A dangerous legal challenge is threatening the future of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the survival of over 300 species found nowhere else on Earth.

In Colosi v. Charlotte County, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, et al., a developer, backed by the Pacific Legal Foundation, argues that endemic species (those found only in one state) should not be protected under the ESA. If the court agrees, it would directly eliminate federal protections for more than 300 currently listed endemic species, including the Florida Scrub-Jay, Florida Panther, and Key Deer. This case could dismantle the ESA’s ability to protect rare and localized wildlife across the country.

The Florida Scrub-Jay, Florida’s only endemic bird, has already lost over 90% of its native habitat due to development and fire suppression. It plays a key ecological role in seed dispersal and habitat regeneration, functions that help maintain entire fire-adapted ecosystems. Removing its protections risks not only the extinction of this species but the unraveling of the ecosystem services those habitats provide.

Biodiversity is critical infrastructure. Healthy ecosystems supply services worth an estimated $1.5 trillion globally each year, including water purification, pollination, climate regulation, and disaster mitigation. In the U.S., biodiversity and natural systems save at least $23 billion annually by reducing storm damage and storing carbon. Florida’s native ecosystems contribute more than $30 billion per year in ecological services and support $6 billion in annual wildlife-related tourism. Species like the Scrub-Jay aren’t just biologically important—they’re economically irreplaceable.

As a Florida native, I’ve seen firsthand how deeply these species are woven into our identity. They make this place what it is. Without them, Florida wouldn’t be Florida. Once revered as the Garden of Eden for its biological richness, the state now stands at the edge of losing what makes it unique.

This lawsuit is not just about a bird or a single development—it’s a coordinated attempt to dismantle the Endangered Species Act and remove protections for hundreds of the rarest species in the U.S. If successful, it would be one of the most significant rollbacks of environmental protections in modern history.

We call on:

1. The U.S. District Court to reject this unconstitutional and ecologically devastating argument
2. Federal agencies, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of Justice, to vigorously defend ESA protections for endemic species
3. Elected officials to stand up for biodiversity, climate resilience, and our responsibility to future generations
   The cost of inaction is extinction. The loss of these species would be irreversible—and unnecessary.

Sign this petition to protect the Florida Scrub-Jay, the ESA, and the 300+ rare species whose survival depends on us standing up now.