ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — U.S. wildlife managers on Wednesday proposed federal protections for the lesser prairie chicken, saying its habitat across five states is in danger of becoming more fragmented and the effects of climate change and drought are expected to take a further toll on the species in the future.

Once listed as a threatened species, the chicken's habitat spans parts of New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas -- including a portion of the oil-rich Permian Basin.

Environmentalists have been pushing to reinstate federal protections for years. They consider the species seve...