PHOENIX — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to remove the Hualapai Mexican Vole from the endangered species list.
The service said it's proposing to delist the cinnamon-brown, mouse-sized mammal because it no longer meets the definition of a species under the Endangered Species Act.
When the vole was first listed in 1987 it was thought to live only in the Hualapai Mountains southwest of Kingman, Ariz. More recent genetic research has found that the vole lives in several different woodland areas throughout the northern part of the state and is no longer considered a separate subspecies.
The service is holding a 30-day public comment period ending on Aug. 3.
The vole was originally added to the endangered species list due to its rarity and limited habitat.