LAS VEGAS, Nev.— The Center for Biological Diversity sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today seeking protections under the Endangered Species Act for two animals threatened with extinction by gold mining in Nevada.

The Amargosa toad and Oasis Valley speckled dace, a species of fish, live only in spring-fed wetlands near Beatty, Nevada. The area is a hub of proposed new gold mining activity by the company AngloGold Ashanti, which has several potential mines under development.

“The Amargosa toad and Oasis Valley speckled dace are at the center of a bullseye surrounded by gold mining activity that threatens to push them over the edge to extinction,” said Patrick Donnelly, Great Basin director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Endangered Species Act protections are urgently needed for these species before AngloGold’s mines suck dry the water they need for survival.”

Amargosa toads, who live in more than a dozen locations across Oasis Valley, are small with olive skin and brown bumps. The Oasis Valley speckled dace, just a couple of inches long, lives in many of the same habitats as the toads. They are both essential components of the upper Amargosa River ecosystem.

The Bureau of Land Management is moving toward approval of AngloGold’s North Bullfrog Mine, which will consume 387 million gallons of water every year. The company is also developing the Arthur Project, where the orebody is estimated to be 10 times the size of North Bullfrog’s. The combined groundwater drawdown from these projects could substantially reduce flows or dry up springs along the Amargosa River that the toads and fish depend on for survival.

In 2024 the Center sought Endangered Species Act protections for both species. In 2025 the Service found that Endangered Species Act protections “may be warranted,” but it has missed the legally required 12-month deadline to issue a final decision on whether to protect the toads and fish.

“The Amargosa River is a crown jewel of the Mojave Desert, and we shouldn’t sacrifice it for gold mining,” said Donnelly. “The Amargosa toad and Oasis Valley speckled dace are emblems of Nevada’s remarkable biodiversity. We won’t rest until they get the protections they urgently need and deserve.”