Texas Lizard Loses Endangered Species Protection Following Lawsuit

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has removed endangered species protections for the dunes sagebrush lizard, a reptile native to the Permian Basin, as part of a settlement with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The lizard’s endangered status, established in 2024, was challenged by Paxton, who claimed the Wildlife Service did not use adequate scientific data in its decision.

Biologists have long noted threats to the roughly 2.5-inch-long lizard from oil and gas exploration in the region. Despite this, Paxton argued that the designation failed to acknowledge ongoing habitat restoration efforts. The settlement reached on July 21 voids the 2024 classification, prompting a reassessment of the lizard’s status.

“Texas, its people, and its industries should not have to suffer the effects of an illegal rule while the Fish and Wildlife Service further evaluates the status of the species,” Paxton stated in a Wednesday press release regarding the settlement.

The Wildlife Service affirmed its commitment to collaborating with local partners to safeguard the lizard’s habitat. However, conservationists and biologists criticized Paxton’s lawsuit, suggesting it favored oil and gas interests over struggling wildlife.

Earlier this year, the lesser prairie chicken in Texas and other states also had its endangered status revoked due to a court order. Jason Rylander, a senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity, expressed concern over a perceived pattern by the Fish and Wildlife Service to prioritize political and industrial interests.

Oil and gas firms had long warned that protections could hinder development. A new reassessment of the lizard’s status is anticipated within two years following the settlement.

Efforts in 2012 to list the dunes sagebrush lizard as endangered were previously unsuccessful. The proposal faced opposition from then-Texas Comptroller Susan Combs and industry groups questioning the validity of scientific evidence concerning the threats to the lizard.

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune, distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.