Turtle Lawsuit Sparks Habitat Battle | Jackson News

A lawsuit has been filed against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service demanding immediate action to protect the Pearl River map turtle — a critically endangered species with only about 22,000 left in the wild — after the agency failed to designate its critical habitat within the required year. The turtle, found only along the Pearl River in Mississippi and Louisiana, faces existential threats from the controversial “One Lake” project, which could devastate its beaches and free-flowing river habitat. With habitat loss as the leading cause of extinction, the Center for Biological Diversity is pushing for legal intervention to force habitat protections and halt destructive development — forcing a high-stakes clash between conservation and infrastructure. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/eade217e89e3d014