The Endangered Species Act is one of the best laws in the world for protecting imperiled species from extinction, and listed and protected species are highly likely to recover if the plans are followed and the laws are enforced. Unfortunately, that’s a big “if.”

Western Watersheds Project and our allies filed a 60-day Notice of Intent to Sue today regarding the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s failure to decide whether the Northern Rockies population of the rare fisher (Pekania pennanti) deserves ESA protection. In September 2013, we filed a petition asking for protection for the species; the Service has missed its 90-day deadline to determine if the petition is warranted and it’s 12-month deadline to determine its listing status.

The result of these missed deadlines is delayed federal protection for the Idaho and Montana subpopulation of this rare carnivore, which is threatened by habitat loss and degradation, trapping, disease, and predation. Fishers are being killed in traps set for other species, including wolves, in Montana and Idaho. Montana even has a sport trapping season for the fisher. Endangered Species Act protection would put an end to these senseless deaths.