After 48 Years, the Colorado Hookless Cactus Is Off the Endangered List

In a major win for biodiversity and conservation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has officially removed the Colorado hookless cactus from the federal endangered species list after nearly five decades.

This resilient little cactus, native to the harsh landscapes of western Colorado and eastern Utah, had been listed as a threatened species since 1979. But after years of focused conservation efforts—including habitat protection, monitoring, and reduced threats from development—the plant has made a strong comeback.

“This is a remarkable conservation success story,” said Amy Lueders, the Southwest Regional Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “Through partnerships with local communities, federal agencies, and conservation organizations, we’ve helped ensure that the Colorado hookless cactus has a future in the wild.”

The cactus’s survival is thanks in large part to land management policies that prevented further habitat destruction, alongside growing public awareness of rare and native flora.