The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today designated 360 acres of Federally-managed lands in the Beaver Rim area in Fremont County, Wyoming as critical habitat for the desert yellowhead, also known as Yermo xanthocephalus a perennial plant in the sunflower family.
The only known population of approximately 12,000 plants occupies less than 50 acres of Federal land, managed by the Bureau of Land Management in central Wyoming. The area designated as critical habitat for the desert yellowhead is part of the historical range of the plant, and it contains the physical or biological features that are considered essential for the conservation of the species.
The Service listed the desert yellowhead as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act in March 2002. The Endangered Species Act directs Federal agencies to protect and promote the recovery of listed species, making it illegal to collect and remove listed plants from Federal lands.
