West Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel needs our help ~ @CenterForBioDiv

The West Virginia northern flying squirrel needs your help. These unique gliding mammals have survived for eons in the high-elevation forests of Appalachia that are a relict of the Ice Age. But now, because of global warming, logging and other threats, the squirrel desperately needs the protections of the Endangered Species Act to survive. Those protections are under threat from the Obama administration, which is appealing a court ruling obtained by the Center that overturned a 2008 decision to remove endangered species protections for the squirrel. Please tell Interior Secretary Salazar to withdraw the government's appeal and maintain needed protections for the West Virginia northern flying squirrel. Click here to find out more and take action. If you have trouble following the link, go to http://action.biologicaldiversity.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=8301. Sample letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe: Letter subject: Please Drop the Flying Squirrel Appeal Dear Secretary Salazar and Director Ashe, The West Virginia northern flying squirrel is the beloved signature species of West Virginia's Allegheny Highlands. This rare, nocturnal mammal was returned to the endangered species list in March 2011 by Federal Judge Emmet Sullivan. Not only does this ruling put the unique squirrel on the road to recovery, it sets forth the principle that the Fish and Wildlife Service should follow its own science-based recovery plans in declaring species recovered. Now we have learned that the Service has begun an appeal of this important ruling. Please -- stop this misguided appeal and enforce the judge's ruling. Sincerely, Donate now to support our work. Please take action by September 30, 2011. Northern flying squirrel photo courtesy National Park Service. Center for Biological Diversity P.O. Box 710 Tucson, AZ 85702 1-866-357-3349