Desert Yellowhead Listed as Threatened

The unique Desert Yellowhead, a member of the sunflower family, is found on just one place on Earth: 50 acres of public land in southern Fremont County. The plant's survival is threatened by oil and gas development, grazing and off-road vehicles.

In mid-March, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the Desert

Photo by Brad Rogers, USFWS

Yellowhead as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

The listing settles a lawsuit brought by WOC, Biodiversity Associates, the Biodiversity Legal Foundation and the Center for Native Ecosystems. The groups successfully argued that ESA protection for the Desert Yellowhead was long overdue. The agency first considered listing the plant in 1993 and then took no action, even after it proposed listing the species in 1998.