Friends of Animals v. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Friends of Animals, the Audubon Society of Greater Denver, and Center for Biological Diversity reached an agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and other federal defendants to settle lawsuits challenging the defendants’ failure to designate critical habitat for the western distinct population segment of the yellow-billed cuckoo, which faces threats from climate change among other factors. This lawsuit was filed by Friends of Animals and the Audubon Society of Greater Denver. The <a href="https://climatecasechart.com/case/center-for-biological-diversity-v-us-fish-wildlife-service-3/">other lawsuit</a> was filed by Center for Biological Diversity. The FWS published a 90-day finding on a delisting petition for the western DPS of the yellow-billed cuckoo, concluding that the petition presented substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that delisting may be warranted due to information on additional habitat being used by the species. The parties agreed to timeframes for a process of considering critical habitat that depends on whether and when the FWS publishes a 12-month finding that delisting is warranted.