The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced an emergency rule to list the blue tree monitor, a lizard species from Indonesia, as endangered. This decision is due to significant threats from overcollection for the international pet trade and ongoing deforestation, which put the species at high risk of extinction. The emergency protection will last for 240 days starting from December 26, 2024, while a proposed permanent listing rule is being considered concurrently. The agency's action aims to provide immediate federal protection to help prevent the species from becoming extinct.
Simple Explanation
The government is trying to protect a special lizard from Indonesia, called the blue tree monitor, because people are taking too many of them as pets and cutting down their homes. For now, they will keep it safe for about 8 months while they figure out how to help it for good.