National News

Rare Death Valley Plant Removed from Endangered Species List. “One rare desert plant has been removed from the endangered species list, and another has been ‘down-listed,’ thanks to successful recovery efforts in Death Valley National Park. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Monday that it is ‘delisting’ the Eureka Valley evening primrose and upgrading the status of the Eureka dune grass from endangered to the less-imperiled threatened status. The rare plants only grow among a remote set of dunes in the northwestern part of the 3.4 million-acre park. They were listed as endangered in 1978, mostly due to off-road vehicle use and other recreational activities in their isolated habitat.” [Las Vegas Review-Journal, 2/26/18 (=)]

Lack of Births a Poor Sign for North Atlantic Right Whales. “The North Atlantic right whale population might well end its breeding season without a single new birth, prompting experts to worry that the species won't survive without human help.” [E&E News, 2/27/18 (=)]