A pinkie-length salamander recently slithered onto the endangered species list, starting a political brawl as ugly as the Texas critter itself. The deal benefited housing developers, who wanted to build near the salamander's sole habitat. But in April, Babbitt announced he'd add the rare amphibian to the list after all.
Conservationists are elated.
And such victories may soon be more common. This spring, federal judges made similar decisions in cases involving the jaguar in the Southwest and the Canadian lynx in the Northwest. State politicians grouse about these aggressive moves by the courts. All letters to the editor are for publication and may be edited for length and clarity.