A couple of items on garter snakes at risk in the U.S. southwest. Last month, the Arizona Daily sun reported on the impact of serious wildfires in Arizona and New Mexico on the endangered Narrow-headed Garter Snake (AP story; see previous item).

And last week the Daily Sun reported on another lawsuit launched by the Center for Biological Diversity against the U.S. Forest Service, charging that the livestock grazing permits issued in national forests threaten both the Narrow-headed and Mexican Garter Snake. (See also Courthouse News Service.)