American bumblebee could soon be declared endangered

The American bumblebee could soon be declared an endangered species, according to federal officials. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) said in a proposed rule that petitions to list the creature as endangered "present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned actions may be warranted. The species has been impacted by habitat loss, pesticides, disease, climate change competition with honey bees and the loss of genetic diversity. Once the most commonly observed bumble bee in the country, the petition states that the American bumble bee has disappeared in at least eight states - the majority of which are in the Northeast. If the American bumble bees are placed under the protection of the Environmental Species Act, those who kill the insects - like farmers and other pesticide sprayers - could face penalty fines of up to $13,000. (Fox News)

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