Little Spider Leads to Big Legal Fight in Texas

Central Texas rancher John Yearwood filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. government last week in what he described as an effort to keep control of his 35-acre property. Yearwood challenged the constitutionality of federal regulations concerning a tiny cave spider known as the Bone Cave Harvestman which only exists in Central Texas. The Bone Cave Harvestman is considered an endangered and threatened species under the 1973 United States Endangered Species Act. “This property has been in the Yearwood family since 1871,” Yearwood said, “and now we’re kind of in limbo about what we can do with the land, if anything at all.” Yearwood said he lets community organizations and church youth groups camp on his property and use his land for recreational purposes. However, now that the endangered spider was found residing on a portion of his 35-acre property, Yearwood could be prosecuted by the federal government if the endangered spider is disturbed...more