Squirrels are everywhere? Not this one.

Chattering squirrels are everywhere, and if ever there were an animal doing just fine, it’s this one. True? Not for the Western gray squirrel.

Under Washington state’s Endangered Species Act, this squirrel was reclassified from threatened to endangered. Loss of habitat due to “logging, development, and climate change-driven fire” is pushing this squirrel toward extinction.

In addition to protections under the state’s endangered law, the Western gray squirrel is also considered a “species of greatest conservation need” on Washington’s and Oregon’s state wildlife action plans. That’s another important step.

Another key action is for Congress to pass the bipartisan Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, which will fund state-level wildlife agencies and wildlife action plans with more than  $1 billion a year.

The Western gray squirrel needs this boost, as do the other 12,000 species of greatest conservation need listed on one or more state plans.