Sharp Park Golf Course sued for killing the red-legged frog
Sharp Park Golf Course in San Francisco has been sued by the Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club, and National Parks Conservation Association for killing the red-legged frog, which had been found living on the course.
On Wednesday, the groups filed a petition in a U.S. District Court against the course, which is popular in San Francisco, but is poorly maintained. The groups charged the authorities for not making adequate conservation plans for the endangered species
residing on the land.
According to the U.S. Endangered Species Act, the Californian red-legged frog and San Francisco garter snake are marked as an endangered species and hence special conservation plans need to be drafted to save them from extinction.
Jeff Miller, conservation advocate for the Center for Biological Diversity, addressed a press conference on Wednesday and said, “The city's restoration plan is bogus - the idea was to maintain the golf course, and the endangered species were secondary.”
Miller also suggested that the course should be closed to protect the serenity of the habitat because the course was made below sea level, which means a rise in the water level could lead to huge damage.
The issue being raised dates back to 1932, when the course was made on wet lands. The land had several endangered species living on it and the course authorities were entitled to take proper measures for drainage, which in return would protect the natural
habitat.
Unfortunately, the course has not been spending the allocated budget on the drainage plan. Examples of this negligence were seen in recent weeks, when San Francisco's Recreation and Park Department drained the storm water. The drainage pulled hundred of
egg sacs of the red-legged frogs out of their natural habitat into the open to die.
However, the course management has condemned the allegation levied against them. Phil Ginsburg, the general manager of Recreation and Park Department, said that the course had been keeping a balance between providing legitimate recreational opportunity and
protection of the habitat.
Meanwhile, the City officials say that they are unaware of the lawsuit, but in either case, they will devise plans to preserve the course and the species living on it.
The Sharp Park Golf Course is in danger of closing after they put the lives of an endangered species in jeopardy. According to the figures produced by the city officials, 54000 rounds are played annually by the golfers of the area and is an eminent recreational
resort in the area.
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