Endangered Species Act

A set of rule changes recently announced by the Trump administration will weaken protections for plants, as well as animals.

The new rule redefines one key word: "harm." Conservation groups say it could be devastating for vulnerable species.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature has determined gopher tortoises are more at risk of extinction than ever before. The U.S. government does not agree.

The Endangered Species Committee met for the first time in 34 years to make the decision. Legal action by environmental groups is already planned to protect the Gulf's vanishing Rice's whale.

The "God Squad" voted unanimously to remove protections for Gulf animals, for "security." It's not the first time federal agencies cited the "energy emergency" to avoid rules meant to protect animals.

The ruling upheld a previous judge's ruling that said the federal government giving control over building in Florida's wetlands to the state could imperil endangered species like the Florida panther.

The measure would ban capturing threatened or endangered marine life off the Florida coast for exhibits.

On "Florida Matters Live & Local" with guest host Cathy Carter, changes to the Endangered Species Act, the enduring wit of Mark Twain, massive soaring artwork and a dragon boat team of breast cancer survivors.

The turtles, among the world's smallest and most critically endangered, washed ashore during low water temperatures up north earlier this year.

The Trump administration wants to roll back protections for endangered and threatened species viewed as detrimental to economic growth. One critic says the proposals would have "destructive effects."

Fewer than 400 of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whales remain. However, federal lawmakers have been weighing proposed rollbacks of some protections for the mammals.

So far in 2025, 477 manatees have died in Florida: more than in either 2024 or 2023, according to state data.