Kent Holsinger, a Line of Sight Contributing Editor, recently commented on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision to delist the Preble’s mouse as an endangered species only in Wyoming:

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) today announced that it has delisted  the Preble’s meadow jumping mouse only in Wyoming.  The Service refused to disclose whom would tell the mice their listed status under the Endangered Species Act changes when they hop across state lines.   

“The Endangered Species Act is indelibly broken,” said Kent Holsinger.  “For the past decade, millions of dollars have been wasted on this common mouse while real conservation work goes undone.”  Federal records indicate more funds have been spent on the Preble’s mouse than the greenback cutthroat trout (Colorado’s state fish), the snail darter, and the blue whale – combined,” he added. 

The Preble’s mouse was classified as a subspecies of meadow jumping mice based on a review of just a handful of dusty museum specimens.  In Colorado, the number of sites known to be occupied by Preble’s has increased four-fold (from 29 sites to more than 132 sites –  and counting) in the past several years.  Preble’s exhibit no quantifiable physical, ecologic or genetic differences from other meadow jumping mice — which inhabit half of the North American continent.  Even the Colorado Division of Wildlife, in its January 22, 2008 letter to the Service questioned whether federal listing was appropriate in Colorado.       

Internationally-recognized scientists (Keith Crandall, et. al) supported the work of Dr. Rob Roy Ramey, II which invalidated the outdated classification of Preble’s.  Even the very scientist that created the subspecies, Dr. Philip Krutzsch, has since recanted his findings.  And U.S. Senator Wayne Allard highlighted serious irregularities in the Service’s handling of the Preble’s delisting in a July 30, 2007 letter to Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne. 

The Service cited development, transportation and water development as threats to the rodent along Colorado’s Front Range.  But building starts are at their lowest level in 17 years in Colorado.  And a myriad of federal and state laws, conservation efforts and local zoning regulations already protect habitat along Colorado’s Front Range.  For example, the State of Colorado spent approximately $8 million on the mouse and Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) estimates that over $250 million has been spent on land acquisition and preservation on Colorado’s Front Range.  GOCO spent a record $100 million on preservation projects in its FY2008 cycle. 

The facts, and the law, support delisting the Preble’s mouse in both Colorado and Wyoming.