Action timeline

September 30, 1993 – The Biodiversity Legal Foundation (later acquired by the Center) filed a scientific petition with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seeking Endangered Species Act protection for boreal toads in the southern Rocky Mountains

March 23, 1995 – The Service added the southern Rockies population to its candidate list after determining that these boreal toads deserved protection under the Endangered Species Act but that higher-priority actions precluded listing.

September 29, 2005 – The Service under the Bush administration reversed course and removed the southern Rocky Mountains population of boreal toads from the candidate list.

May 25, 2011 – The Center for Biological Diversity, Center for Native Ecosystems and Biodiversity Conservation Alliance petitioned the Fish and Wildlife Service to protect boreal toads under the federal Endangered Species Act.

April 11, 2012 – In response to our petition, the Service today determined that boreal toads in the southern Rocky Mountains, Utah, southern Idaho and northeastern Nevada may qualify for Endangered Species Act protection. 

January 24, 2013 – The Center and Rocky Mountain Wild filed a formal notice of intent to sue the Service after it failed to protect the toads.

September 24, 2013 – The Center reached a settlement with the Service giving the agency four years to consider Endangered Species Act protection for boreal toads in the southern Rocky Mountains, Utah, southern Idaho and northeastern Nevada.

Boreal toad photo courtesy Flickr Creative Commons, J.N. Stewart