Success stories
One of the Species Protection Account's primary efforts is to downlist or delist Utah species listed under the Endangered Species Act and prevent new federal listings. The program has been highly successful and has on multiple occasions helped prevent federal listings and the economic harm that often accompanies them.
Here's a collection of stories in which this program has helped threatened or endangered species thrive again.
Conserving Western (boreal) toads
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The eastern population of Western (formerly known as boreal) toads lives in mountain ranges across Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and Utah. In November 2017, this species was found not warranted for protection under the Endangered Species Act, largely because of conservation efforts completed in Utah.
Virgin spinedace
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The Virgin spinedace is a unique minnow species found only in the upper mainstem Virgin River and its clear, cool tributaries in southwestern Utah and neighboring Arizona and Nevada.
Sub-globose snake pyrg
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The sub-globose snake pyrg is a tiny aquatic springsnail that lives in one spring in the West Desert of Utah — it's the only place in the world where you can find this snail.
Protecting Utah prairie dog habitat
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The Utah prairie dog, listed as federally threatened since 1984, has experienced tremendous population growth in the past decade.