US has scrapped automatic protection for rare animals and plants
By Daniel Michelson - September 15, 14:53
The US has scrapped automatic protection for new species of animals and plants that are classified as threatened with extinction.
In addition, before officials can declare certain areas to be critical habitat for such species, they will now be required to take economic consequences into account.
Environmentalists fear that rare species such as the American manatee and the Hawaiian honeycreeper 'i'iwi ('Iʻiwi) could end up at risk, reports The Washington Post.
US law has two categories

