On Wednesday, federal wildlife managers announced that three rare species found in Nevada may warrant federal protections under the Endangered Species Act.
Following a three-month review by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, government officials say they’ve found substantial evidence that a flower, a toad, and a rabbit who call Nevada home may be eligible for listing.
Those species are the Railroad Valley toad — one of the smallest western toad species, the white-margined penstemon — a rare perennial plant restricted to the Mojave Desert, and the pygmy rabbit — a small rabbit found in the Great Basin, according to Nevada Current.
Based on the review, federal wildlife officials will conduct a one-year status review to either approve or deny listing proposals for the three species.
Isolated from other toads by miles of arid desert, the Railroad Valley toad is confined to a single spring-fed wetland habitat across 445 acres of land in Nye County.
Under their review, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found there were credible threats to the rare toads’ existence that warranted further analysis, including oil and gas extraction in Railroad Valley, and proposals for lithium extraction.
Federal land managers also concluded that protections for the white-margined penstemon — a small flower that grows on sandy washes and stabilized dunes — may be necessary due to habitat loss from land development, climate change, and the degradation of habitat due to off-highway vehicle use.
The rare wildflower only grows in four counties across the Mojave Desert: Clark and Nye counties in Nevada, San Bernardino County in California, and Mohave County in Arizona.
Both the white-margined penstemon and the Railroad Valley toad were considered for federal protections after the Center for Biological Diversity petitioned the federal government to list the species under the Endangered Species Act.
Conservationists say the rare wildflower’s survival is threatened by urban expansion under the proposed Clark County lands bill and the advancement of the proposed Southern Nevada Supplemental Airport. The Nye County population of the flower in the Amargosa Desert is also threatened by transmission line construction and fast growing solar energy development, said Patrick Donnelly, the Great Basin director at the Center.
“The Bureau of Land Management and Nevada politicians are letting all manner of industries run roughshod over our public lands, putting the Silver State’s remarkable biodiversity in jeopardy,”Donnelly said. “The Endangered Species Act is the most successful conservation law in the world at preventing extinction, and it’s our best chance to save the white-margined penstemon and the Railroad Valley toad.”
Federal wildlife officials said they would also further evaluate whether the pygmy rabbit warranted federal protections under the Endangered Species Act.
After being petitioned by several conservation groups — including the Western Watersheds Project, Center for Biological Diversity, WildEarth Guardians, and the Defenders of Wildlife — wildlife managers said a compound of wildfire, cheatgrass, and climate change may warrant further protections for the rabbit.
The small Great Basin rabbit lives in sagebrush habitat across central Nevada, eastern California, southwestern Utah, southern Idaho, southwestern Montana, southeastern Oregon, and southern Washington.
The pygmy rabbit population in Washington’s Columbia Basin has been listed as endangered since 2003, but following their review the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found that listing the pygmy rabbit range wide, as a threatened species or an endangered species, may be warranted.
“I’m relieved that these vulnerable species are moving one step closer to getting the life-saving protections they need,” said Donnelly. “As climate change rages and habitat destruction devastates public lands, Nevada is on the front lines of the extinction crisis. If we don’t act to save the state’s rare plants and animals, they’ll disappear forever.”
Mojave (Nev.) head football coach Wes Pacheco announced on Sunday morning that he’s stepping down from his position, according to a social media post.
Pacheco announced his resignation after six seasons at the helm of the Rattlers, putting together a 29-22 overall record from 2020-2025.
“I have officially stepped down as Head Coach of the Mojave Football Program,” Pacheco said in his social media post. “Thank you to Principal Cole for giving me the opoortunity make an impact on the lives of Mojave Student-Athletes. I am grateful and blessed to have labored through a 6-year journey of successes, failures, life lessons, character building and growth with the student-athletes myself and my coaching staff have served. I will forever love my Mojave Family, the Mojave Community and believe in the notion that SUCCESS can be attained by showcasing character, treating everyone with respect, and always have the courage to dream big and trust that “ATTACKING THE HARD WORK” & “HIGH MOTORING EVERYTHING” can yield SUCCESS that you want to achieve in life!”
During Pacheco’s half dozen seasons leading Mojave, his best record came in the 2024 season when the Rattlers finished with a 12-1 record. Located out of North Las Vegas, Mojave had to compete against the likes of national high school football powerhouse Bishop Gorman during the regular season.
Mojave ended the last season with a 4-6 record and as the state’s No. 23rd ranked team, according to the final 2025 Nevada High School Football Massey Rankings.
Mojave High School, located in North Las Vegas, NV, is a dynamic public high school that fosters academic excellence, personal growth, and community involvement. Home of the Rattlers, MHS offers a wide range of academic programs, athletics, and extracurricular activities. With a strong commitment to student success, Mojave emphasizes leadership, college and career readiness, and a supportive school culture that prepares students for life beyond graduation.
For Nevada high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the Silver State, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the high school football excitement across Nevada.
A recent Review-Journal letter to the editor mischaracterized Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto’s Southern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act, also known as the Clark County Lands bill. As the former executive director of the Nevada Conservation League, I wholeheartedly support this legislation, so I wanted to set the record straight.
Sen. Cortez Masto has been working on this bill for years in partnership with state and local governments, conservation groups like the NCL and local area tribes. It’s true that the Clark County lands bill would open 25,000 acres to help Las Vegas grow responsibly, while setting aside 2 million acres for conservation. It would also help create more affordable housing throughout the valley while ensuring our treasured public spaces can be preserved for generations to come.
What is not correct is that the money from these land sales would go to the federal government’s coffers. In fact, the opposite is true.
The 1998 Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act is a landmark bill that identified specific public land for future sale and created a special account ensuring all land sale revenues would come back to Nevada. In accordance with that law 5 percent of revenue from land transfers goes to the state of Nevada for general education purposes, 10 percent goes to the Southern Nevada Water Authority for needed water infrastructure and 85 percent supports conservation and environmental mitigation projects in Southern Nevada. This legislation has provided billions to Clark County and will continue to benefit generations of Southern Nevadans. Sen. Cortez Masto’s lands bill builds upon the act’s success.
So here’s the good news: All of the money generated from land made available for sale under Sen. Cortez Masto’s bill would be sent to the special account created by the 1998 law. Rather than going to an unaccountable federal government, the proceeds would continue to help kids in Vegas get a better education, bolster outdoor recreation and modernize Southern Nevada’s infrastructure.
I know how important it is that money generated from the sale of public land in Nevada stay in the hands of Nevadans, and so does the senator. That’s why she opposed a Republican effort last year to sell off 200,000 acres of land in Clark County and other areas of the country that would have sent those dollars directly to Washington.
Public land management in Nevada should benefit Nevadans. We should protect sacred cultural sites and beloved recreation spaces, responsibly transfer land for affordable housing when needed and ensure our state has the resources it needs to grow sustainably. I will continue working with Sen. Cortez Masto to advocate for legislation, such as the Clark County lands bill, that puts the needs of Nevadans first.
Paul Selberg writes from Las Vegas.
click to expand photos
Las Vegas High’s baseball team claimed a 3-2 home win over Coronado on Friday.
Las Vegas (9-13-1) next hosts Rancho at 10 a.m. Saturday. Coronado (13-14) hosts Chaparral at 3:30 p.m. Monday.
Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.
California regulators kill charity fireworks for America’s 250th, sparking outrage
Outgoing Colorado Buffaloes Sebastian Rancik, Bangot Dak Make Transfer Portal Moves
One arrested after a multi-car crash in Naugatuck Saturday
9 Most Scenic Drives in New Jersey
South Florida faith leaders call for Miami mental health center to finally open
Georgia receiver and draft prospect Zachariah Branch arrested for misdemeanor obstruction
Kanakaʻole, Zane ʻohana transform Hawaiian cultural practices into captivating visual arts | Maui Now
‘Unrelenting’: Statehouse reporters recap 2026 legislative session in Idaho Falls – East Idaho News
