"These species deserve immediate, emergency protection under the Endangered Species Act. The Fish and Wildlife Service has the authority to save them from vanishing forever, and we're urging them to use that authority," WildEarth Guardians' Executive Director John Horning said.

These species were selected from petitions filed by WildEarth Guardians in June and July of last year. The total requests of protection made by the group covered 674 species under the ESA. The current Presidential administration has listed the least amount of species annually than the last two sitting presidents: only nine species, compared to Bill Clinton who listed 65 per year and George H.W. Bush who listed 58. The organization also points out that citizen petitions and lawsuits have prompted all the listings made under the current administration.

"We're requesting emergency protection for plants and animals that are a hair's breadth from extinction. Some haven't been seen for decades, others are located at only one site on earth - they all deserve the chance at survival that the Endangered Species Act provides," Horning said.

To obtain the full text of the petition and the complete list of all the species being petitioned for, visit WildEarth Guardians or download the PDF of the petition.