On Tuesday, the US Fish and Wildlife Service shared that it is considering should they include two Arkansas species, the alligator snapping turtle and the Illinois chorus frog, in the Endangered Species List.

Regional Fish and Wildlife spokesman Tom McKenzie said that the service will go through scientific and commercial information about the species. After going through the information, they will decided as whether or not they should list them as threatened, endangered or not protected at all.

McKenzie said, "This is just meaning it needs to be looked at with greater vigor. It doesn't necessarily mean these are now on their road to endangered species-dom".

There was a need to review the animals after a 2012 petition was filed by the Center for Biological Diversity. The latter asked the agency to classify 53 amphibians and reptiles as either threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. In the list, alligator snapping turtle, the Illinois chorus frog and the Caddo Mountain salamander were included.

As per the Endangered Species Act of 1973, wildlife service is responsible for conserving the ecosystems of endangered and threatened species and also to save plants and animals from extinction. In Arkansas, 36 species have been either included in endangered or threatened list.

When the agency will review the species, it will look at the biology, range and population trends; habitat requirements; genetics; historical and current range and ongoing conservation measures. McKenzie said that the agency will received information from state agencies, academic experts and others having the knowledge on the animals.