A skinny legless lizard that lives on a 90-mile strip of habitat in south-central California does not warrant listing as an endangered or threatened species, the Fish and Wildlife Service concluded this week.
Though the Temblor legless lizard faces risks from climate change, oil and gas development, and farming, the agency concluded that the reptile’s ability to travel within its range, as well as burrow deeper underground, should allow its population to withstand coming disruptions.
“Overall, we do not expect catastrophic events to impact the species such that the entire range would be affected,” the agency said of one future scenario. The decision to deny listing means the species won’t receive protections under the Endangered Species Act.
The sand-dwelling lizard’s population is unknown. In 2022, state officials in California decided to list the lizard as endangered under state law after receiving a petition from the Center for Biological Diversity. The environmental group also filed a federal listing petition in 2020, which prompted the FWS assessment. The agency completed its 12-month review of the lizard more than four years late.
