A nonprofit conservation organization sued Trump administration officials Wednesday for failing to act on a petition to protect Olympic marmots.

The Center for Biological Diversity filed the lawsuit in federal court in Seattle. The lawsuit names U.S. Fish and Wildlife Director Brian Nesvik and U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum as defendants.

Olympic marmots are a unique species of large, ground-dwelling squirrels that only live on the Olympic Peninsula, according to the lawsuit. In a news release, the nonprofit said it petitioned the U.S. FWS to protect the marmots under the Endangered Species Act in May 2024. However, the nonprofit alleges the agency has failed to issue an initial determination, known as a 90-day finding.

Now, the nonprofit is asking the court to declar

See Full Page