By Alastair Bland Federal wildlife officials formally listed the San Francisco Estuary longfin smelt as an endangered species in July. Whether the action is a first step toward recovery or just an administrative milestone on the path to extinction is too early to say, but one thing is already clear: The longfin smelt is ominously close to vanishing. Now, as its existential clock ticks, scientists are hustling to better understand the species’ biology and environmental requirements and, with luck, safeguard … Continue reading NOTEBOOK FEATURE: The longfin smelt joins the celebrated ranks of the federal ESA – but can it recover?