PORTLAND, Maine - Maine environmental officials expect to craft legislation to add several new species to the state's threatened and endangered animals list within a month.
State officials are considering adding the little brown bat and northern long-eared bat to the endangered list after white nose syndrome hurt populations. The eastern small-footed bat also faces threatened status.
The black-crowned night heron and great cormorant may be upgraded from threatened to endangered. The cobblestone tiger beetle, frigga fritillary butterfly and six-whorl vertigo snail are up for inclusion on the endangered list.
State officials held two public hearings about the proposal over the summer. A state Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife spokesman says legislation will be submitted to the state legislature when prepared.
There are 45 species on the state's threatened and endangered lists.