Deadlines set to decide whether fish, cactus warrant endangered status

Jan. 15—The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will have to decide soon whether or not two species with a presence in New Mexico merit endangered status.

Following a court order from the U.S. District Court for Arizona, Fish and Wildlife will have until September 2026 to decide on the status of the Rio Grande shiner and until September 2027 for the Clover’s cactus.

The cactus grows in just a few counties in northwestern New Mexico, including Rio Arriba and Sandoval. The original complaint cites oil and gas exploration, off-roading and illegal cactus collecting as major threats to the species. The Rio Grande shiner, the complaint alleges, has been negatively impacted by river fragmentation and drought.

Although the shiner was identified as potentially needing endangered species protection in 1982, WildEarth Guardians petitioned to list both the fish and cactus species as endangered in 2020.

The Center for Biological Diversity and WildEarth Guardians sued the federal agency in 2024 for delays on a decision for both species. The deadlines are part of a settlement agreement.

“Securing these deadlines marks a critical step toward safeguarding the Rio Grande shiner and Clover’s cactus, both emblematic of the challenges facing the Southwest, including ongoing drought and oil and gas development,” Joanna Zhang, endangered species advocate with WildEarth Guardians, said in a statement. “Each day without action risks pushing these species closer to the brink of extinction.”