The Fish and Wildlife Service said Monday that agency scientists will study seven species for potential listing under the Endangered Species Act.
Over the next year, the agency will collect and study information about the species whose habitats range from South Dakota to Atlantic coastal lagoons to determine whether their low populations warrant federal protections.
The potential listings include the plains spotted skunk, which lives in southern and Midwestern states ranging from Texas and Arkansas to North Dakota and west to Wyoming. The odorous mammal is known for a defensive display that includes a handstand. It was previously considered a subspecies of the eastern spotted skunk but is now considered a distinct species.
Three years ago, the agency determined the skunk did not warrant federal protections.
