Center for Biological Diversity


For Immediate Release, September 18, 2015

Contact:  Noah Greenwald, (503) 484-7495, ngreenwald@biologicaldiversity.org

Former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Supervisor Joins Center for
Biological Diversity as Endangered Species Recovery Director

Loyal Mehrhoff Will Work to Build on Tremendous Success of
Endangered Species Act at Recovering Species

WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity has hired former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service field supervisor Loyal Mehrhoff as its recovery director. Mehrhoff has spent more than 25 years working as a scientist and resource manager to protect endangered species. Building on this considerable experience, he will travel the country — from the halls of Congress to scientific society gatherings to public meetings and beyond — to highlight the success of the Endangered Species Act at recovering animals and plants at the brink of extinction. 

“Loyal Mehrhoff brings an exceptional amount of expertise in listing, protecting and recovering endangered plants and animals,” said Noah Greenwald, the Center’s endangered species director. “We're thrilled to have Loyal on board.”

Before joining the Center, Mehrhoff was field supervisor at the Service’s Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office in Honolulu, Hawaii from 2009 to 2014, where he focused on preventing the extinction of more than 500 endangered species by promoting an ecosystem approach to recovery of endangered species. He has worked on a wide range of endangered species, including northern spotted owls, terrestrial orchids, tree snails and bats. He will work to identify opportunities to further conservation of these and other species in an effort to bring them across the finish line and achieve recovery. 

“I’m excited to work for the Center to protect and recover endangered species. The Center has been a critical advocate for imperiled wildlife. My goal is to highlight the successes of the Endangered Species Act — which is a truly remarkable piece of legislation — and to further its implementation,” said Mehrhoff. 

Mehrhoff, who has a doctorate in botany, has worked at the National Park Service as chief of the Biological Resources Management Division and with the U.S. Geological Survey as center director of the Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center. He will continue to be based out of Honolulu, Hawaii. 

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 900,000 members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.


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