Do listed species in critical habitat areas receive more protection?
A. An area designated as critical habitat is not a refuge or special conservation area. Listed species and their habitats are protected by the Endangered Species Act whether or not they are in an area designated as critical habitat. Q. What protection does the bay checkerspot butterfly currently receive as a listed species? A. The Endangered Species Act forbids the import, export, or interstate or foreign sale of protected animals and plants without a special permit. It also makes “take” illegal– forbidding the killing, harming, harassing, possessing, or removing of protected animals from the wild. Federal agencies must consult with the Service to insure that projects they authorize, fund, or carry out are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of any endangered or threatened species, or result in the destruction or adverse modification of designated critical habitat. Permits may be issued by the Service for activities that are otherwise prohibited under the Act, if these ac
