FORT COLLINS, Colo.—Federal officials will review whether a snowfly found in two tributaries of the Cache la Poudre (kash-luh-POO’-der) River in northern Colorado should be declared an endangered species.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Monday that it will study the status of the Arapahoe Snowfly in response to a petition from environmental groups, including WildEarth Guardians.
Environmentalists and scientists say the fly is an “indicator species,” meaning its viability is a barometer of the river’s overall health. Federal officials say the small, dark snowfly was first discovered in 1986.
WildEarth Guardians tells The Coloradoan that adding the snowfly to the endangered species list would force federal agencies to consider the impacts of recreation on the Poudre River.
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Information from: Fort Collins Coloradoan,
