US weakens endangered species rule, sparking cross-border wildlife concerns

The U.S. Interior Department declared on July 10 that it would eliminate the historic interpretation of “harm” in the Endangered Species Act, a move the Trump administration says curtails federal overreach and eases restrictions for landowners. The decision, effective September 14, has been challenged by nearly a dozen environmental groups in federal court. Canadian conservationists warn that species such as migratory birds, northern spotted owls, grizzly bears and the southern resident killer whales, which routinely move between U.S. and Canadian waters, could suffer from weakened habitat safeguards.

Experts like Torrance Coste and Dennis Murray argue that protecting only isolated sites ignores the broader home ranges essential for wildlife survival. Meanwhile, Canada faces its own policy debates about streamlining approvals for large projects, raising additional concerns about habitat protection. Both governments have pledged to work together on wildlife conservation, but critics say current actions run counter to those commitments.