DU's Environmental Law Clinic Wins Federal Court Order on Behalf of Friends of Animals and WildEarth Guardians

The Sturm College of Law Environmental Law Clinic (ELC) successfully obtained a recent court order that requires Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar to determine by Nov. 2011 whether 12 parrots warrant federal protection.

The ELC represented Friends of Animals and WildEarth Guardians in the action.

Lee Hall, Friends of Animals legal vice president expressed appreciation for the work of the ELC. He said, "It's urgent that the United States take these birds' lives and habitats seriously. We're pleased to see this court order in 2010, which the United Nations named the International Year of Biodiversity."

The 12 parrots are:

• Blue-headed macaws
• Crimson shining parrots
• Great green macaws
• Grey-checked parakeets
• Hyacinth macaws
• Military macaws
• Philippine cockatoos
• Red-crowned parrots
• Scarlet macaws
• White cockatoos
• Yellow-billed parrots
• Yellow-crested parrots

Nicole Rosmarino of WildEarth Guardians said, "Sec. Salazar has continued the Bush administration's policies on endangered species, by foot-dragging and obstructing protection for critically imperiled animals and plants. The court order is good news for these parrots, but we will continue to press until they are actually afforded full federal safeguards under the Endangered Species Act."