Why is the Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard endangered?
The Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard is threatened by a continual loss of habitat from human development. The majority of the lizard’s historic habitat has been eliminated or degraded because of the direct and indirect effects of development. Structures erected on the sand transport corridor areas and the introduction of non-native, invasive plant species, such as tamarisk, are stabilizing the once free moving sand deposits, preventing the continued replenishment of the “blowsand” habitat which the lizard relies on for its long-term survival. What is being done to save the Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard? The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard as threatened, under the Endangered Species Act, in 1980. It is listed as an endangered species by the State of California. At the time the Service listed the lizard as threatened, about 12,000 acres of critical habitat were designated. This acreage includes the areas with the highest lizard conce
