Many Nevada species in danger of going extinct

Despite its seemingly inhospitable desert climate, Nevada is home to a wide array of biological diversity, including many threatened and endangered species.

Statewide there are 26 endangered species and 16 threatened species protected under the federal Endangered Species Act, with another 15 species being considered for the list, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The species range from the tiny Devils Hole pupfish, an inch-long fish found only in a small body of water near Death Valley, to the Steamboat buckwheat, a small herb-like plant found near the base of mountains in the Sierra Nevada range.

Animals or plants listed as endangered face a threat to their continued existence, usually from loss of habitat, said Ted Koch, the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Nevada state supervisor.

Species listed as endangered receive special protections that prohibit destruction of their habitats and make it illegal to catch or kill them, with violators facing fines or even jail time, Koch said.

Here’s a look at seven Nevada species that are protected or have been considered for protection under the Endangered Species Act.