One Year and Seven Days

On December 18^th 2015, over a full year and seven days after a listing petition to protect the Miami tiger beetle (Cicindela floridana) was filed by the Center for Biological Diversity, advocacy groups, and several individuals (including myself),the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced their proposal for the listing of the Miami tiger beetle as endangered.

We're proposing to list the Miami tiger beetle as #endangered. https://t.co/X8c5A5SHdN @usfws pic.twitter.com/iZdYyx9Qjs

— US Fish and Wildlife (@USFWSSoutheast) December 18, 2015

Gem-like Beetle in South Florida Moves Closer to Endangered Species Act Protection https://t.co/lTV2xym5Bc

— Center for Biological Diversity (@CenterForBioDiv) December 18, 2015

In a press release Jaclyn Lopez, Florida director at the Center for Biological Diversity said:

Watching the Miami tiger beetle forage, with its shiny, iridescent body and lightning-quick legs, is mesmerizing. Endangered Species Act protection will help ensure the beetle’s rare pine rockland hunting grounds remain intact in the face of ever-pressing development.

The USFWS proposed listing could have significant impacts on the potential developments in the Richmond Heights pine rocklands, home of this beetle.

Tiger beetle could be next challenger to Miami Wilds and Walmart https://t.co/7wxq8ioino

— Jenny Staletovich (@jenstaletovich) December 19, 2015

With the USFWS’s announcement a public comment period is open until February 22 and a public hearing is scheduled on January 13^th at Miami-Dade College, Kendall Campus.