The Center for Biological Diversity has filed a lawsuit demanding that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decide by August 2026 whether or not to list the Siuslaw hairy-necked tiger beetle as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
You may read the Center’s official statement on the matter here:
The tiger beetle previously flourished on beaches from Northern California to Washington, but today just a few isolated populations remain. Only 17 locations in Oregon were discovered to have them in recent surveys. There are only three locations in Washington where they are still alive and well.
It shouldn’t take a lawsuit to compel the Fish and Wildlife Service to do its job and protect a plainly endangered species, said Quinn Read, Oregon policy director at the Center. “I’m glad these tiger beetles are getting a shot at protection,” Read said. These hairy predatory beetles and their dune ecosystem would not stand a hope of survival without the protections afforded by the Endangered Species Act.
Off-road vehicles, climate change, coastal erosion, and trampling by beachgoers all pose serious threats to the species’ habitat, which has led to a sharp decline in the population. In addition to invading species, inbreeding is a threat to the beetles.
“These beetles face so many threats and they’re teetering on the brink of extinction,” said Read. “The agencies that manage the few remaining populations must protect them for the sake of biodiversity and future generations.”
Both the adult beetle and its larvae are formidable predators. The adults are agile hunters, capable of bursting into quick spurts of running on the sand or taking brief hopping flights to pursue prey. After each explosion, the beetles slow down to visually reposition their victim before restarting their pursuit.
The Center submitted an ESA listing petition for the beetle to the Service in 2020. The Service made an announcement in 2021 suggesting the beetle would warrant legal protection under the Act.
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The Center filed suit against the Fish and Wildlife Service in 2022 for violating a statutory deadline for making a determination. The lawsuit brought by the Center has been settled thanks to this agreement, and the Service will be able to continue as planned while taking beetle safeguards into account.
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