The future of the Pima pineapple cactus is looking up after the federal agency that protects it released a draft recovery plan this week.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said the Pima pineapple cactus has been on the endangered species list since 1993. Threats include grazing and urbanization, and the encroachment of invasive species, particularly grasses that aggravate the spread of wildfire.
Michael Robinson is a conservation advocate with the Tucson-based Center for Biological Diversity. He said he’s pleased to see a well thought out recovery plan that includes habitat quality, population protection and threat management.
The Pima pineapple cactus is found in southern Arizona and northern Sonora, Mexico. About 12 percent of the endangered cactuses are on federal land, almost 50 percent are on state land, and 2 percent are on tribal lands.
