Southwest Mississippi Free Press

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Group Sues to Secure Habitat Protections for Pearl River Map Turtle as Flood-Control Project Looms

In its lawsuit, the Center for Biological Diversity claims the federal government has failed to designate โ€œcritical habitatโ€ for the map turtle, which earned protected status in 2024. The failure leaves the turtle vulnerable to habitat loss, the complaint alleges, particularly from large-scale river alterations like the โ€œOne Lakeโ€ project.


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