Endangered List of Endangered Species

Now that the spotted owl has joined the dam-busting snail darter on the endangered-species list, President Bush wants to dilute the act that protects them. Some other denizens:

Stephens’ kangaroo rat A 3-in.-long nocturnal rodent found in a small section of Riverside County, Calif. Protecting it has interfered with Medfly spraying and has delayed construction of new housing.

Least Bell’s vireo A bird that nests on the banks of Southern California streams, its listing in 1987 was fiercely opposed by local developers. The Marine base at Camp Pendleton has been designated a critical habitat for the vireo.

Flattened musk turtle An Alabama reptile listed in 1987 because it was threatened by runoff from old coal mines. Local Congressmen claimed that protecting it could cost billions, but the ruckus died down when new mines were able to meet standards.

Colorado squawfish A $590 million water project has been put on hold because it would threaten the survival of this outsize predator. The project would benefit the Ute Indians, who had been scheduled to receive water under a 1986 agreement with Washington.

Mount Graham red squirrel One of 25 subspecies, it has pitted conservationists against astronomers who want to build an observatory atop Arizona’s Mount Graham.