Natural History Wanderings

A new political appointee picked by Trump to oversee wildlife and parks at the Interior Department has a history of opposing endangered species protections. Susan Combs, who was recently appointed by Trump as acting assistant secretary for fish, wildlife and parks, has in the past compared the endangered species listings to “incoming Scud missiles.” In her previous post as Texas comptroller, Combs played a key role in wresting control of the endangered species program from the state’s Parks and Wildlife Department. While leading the office, Combs viewed endangered species protections as federal overreach and vowed to protect business interests thwarted by certain endangered species listings.