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 WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Developers will no longer be allowed to bury gopher tortoises alive during construction under a moratorium approved Wednesday by state wildlife commissioners.
Also Wednesday, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation commissioners voted to proceed with upgrading the manatee's status from endangered to threatened, meaning scientists believe the species has rebounded from the brink of extinction. The move will not be finalized until the commission's September meeting, at the earliest.
Endangered status means an animal is at immediate risk of extinction. Threatened denotes a species could become endangered in the future if protections are not maintained.
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