OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (KFOR) –  The lesser prairie chicken is symbolic of the Oklahoma prairies to many who live in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma’s Attorney General Gentner Drummond says, “efforts by the Biden Administration to protect the lesser prairie chicken represent an existential threat for cattle grazing energy production and other vital interests of Western Oklahoma’s economy”. He plans to file a lawsuit against the Biden Administration.

The lesser prairie chicken once numbered in the millions has now dwindled to 32,000 in a five state area. The range has shrunk due to a mixture of open, mixed and short grass prairies.