The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and NOAA Fisheries have proposed a rule change that would eliminate critical habitat protections for endangered and threatened species. This move threatens to undo decades of conservation progress and jeopardizes the survival of vulnerable wildlife.​

Take, for example, the Florida panther — a symbol of America’s wildlife and one of the most endangered species in the U.S. With fewer than 150 individuals left in the wild, the Florida panther relies on its critical habitat in the forests, swamps, and wetlands of southern Florida for survival. These protected areas are essential for hunting, breeding, and safe movement — all vital to the panther’s survival.

By removing protections for the panther’s habitat, we risk pushing them closer to extinction. Habitat destruction is a leading cause of species decline, and without safe spaces to roam and reproduce, the Florida panther will struggle to recover. The current proposal would make it easier for developers to encroach upon these areas, further threatening the panther’s existence.

The Florida panther’s story is not unique. Many other species rely on the habitat protections that the USFWS and NOAA want to rescind. Species like sea turtles, spotted owls, red wolves, and jaguars are all vulnerable to losing the spaces they need to thrive.

We call on the USFWS and NOAA Fisheries to:

• Withdraw the proposed rule change that eliminates habitat protections for endangered species.
• Uphold the Endangered Species Act in its original form, which has been instrumental in preventing species extinction.
• Ensure that habitat destruction remains a key consideration in conservation efforts to protect our nation's wildlife.

Our wildlife deserves better. We must act now to preserve the habitats that are crucial for their survival.