To: Secretary Jennison and Commissioners

Save Kansas Endangered Species and Redbelly Snake

Commissioners with the Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (Department) will “delist” the redbelly snake from “threatened” status to “species in need of conservation” when they meet October 16… unless they encounter strong public opposition. Let them know that you are for science, not politics and political favoritism.

Why is this important?

Delisting the redbelly has significance far beyond a single species… More important is the precedence of the corrupt process itself. Here we have Department Secretary Robin Jennison agreeing with biologists that the redbelly is seriously threatened but proposing delisting to appease legislators threatening to entirely repeal Kansas’ endangered species law if Commissioners do not do it for them. In reality, bowing to threats by politicians inevitably leads to “administrative repeal species by species” of our endangered species law as more truly threatened/endangered plants and animals are delisted when they become inconvenient to developers. So, we fight to ensure a healthy natural environment and species diversity for future generations of Kansans.