An environmental nonprofit is suing the federal government over delayed protections for the Pearl River map turtle, a rare species found only in Mississippi and Louisiana.
In a Wednesday lawsuit, the Center for Biological Diversity claims that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has failed to designate “critical habitat” for the map turtle, which earned protected status from the agency in 2024. The failure leaves the turtle vulnerable to habitat loss, the complaint alleges, particularly from dams and other large-scale diversions along the Pearl River.
“Habitat loss is the main factor that’s driving species extinct,” Lindsay Reeves, a senior attorney at the Center, told the Mississippi Free Press in a July 15 interview. “We need to make sure that the few places that this turtle has and lives are protected.”
The Pearl River map turtle, named after the map-like pattern on its shell and the waterway it calls home, has faced multiple threats in recent decades, from habitat destruction and agricultural pollution to exportation overseas. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates there are only 22,000 specimens remaining in the wild. Since 2010, environmental groups have fought to ensure that the turtle receives federal protections, leading the USFWS to list it as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act.
Under the ESA, the USFWS has up to a year to designate protected habitat for a newly listed species, making it illegal to damage those areas through development or other means. Missing that deadline is especially dangerous for the map turtle, which is endemic to the Pearl River and relies on its beaches and free-flowing water for survival, Reeves explained.
The ESA’s critical habitat designation adds “an extra layer of protection” for the map turtle, she said. “Not only are we trying to stop the (species) from declining, but we’re trying to protect the places where it lives so it has a (better) chance at recovering.”
The nonprofit’s lawsuit aims to expedite the release of a proposed critical habitat rule for the map turtle, which would be subject to public comment before a final determination is made. While the organization hopes the designation will encompass much if not all of the Pearl River, decisions on critical habitat will require further research from Fish and Wildlife staff and input from other scientists, Reeves noted.
In a Wednesday email, the Fish and Wildlife Service said it does not comment on pending or ongoing litigation “as a matter of Service policy.”
The lawsuit comes as a government flood-control project that threatens the map turtle and its habitat nears final approval. Derived from the controversial “One Lake” scheme, the project calls for excavating the banks of the Pearl River and potentially adding a new dam near Jackson—modifications that critics warn will eliminate vital stretches of the turtle’s habitat and reduce access to food and shelter.
Past environmental assessments from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers—the federal agency overseeing the project’s implementation—acknowledge that One Lake and similar plans would “likely adversely affect” the map turtle.
“One of the biggest threats to the Pearl River Map Turtle … is obviously the One Lake project,” said Reeves, noting that the risks presented by the scheme helped the species earn federal protections two years ago. As officials prepare to authorize a final plan design, “it’s more important than ever that we have identified the places that are the most critical for this turtle’s survival.”
With a critical habitat designation in place, the Corps would have to move forward with a project that minimizes harm to protected areas as well as the species itself, Reeves explained. Officials would also have to consult with the Fish and Wildlife Service on appropriate mitigation for unavoidable impacts.
Wednesday’s lawsuit also coincides with efforts by the Trump administration to narrow the ESA’s definition of harm—a move that has drawn legal challenges from multiple environmental groups. No new species has been granted federal protections since the administration assumed power in January 2025.
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