California's Joshua tree could become first to win protections because of climate crisis

The 2.5m-year-old tree would be first plant species protected by law in state as current habitat increasingly becomes less viable

The western Joshua tree will be considered for protection under the California Endangered Species Act, possibly becoming the first plant species to be given protection of law in the state because of a primarily climate crisis-related threat.

The California Fish and Game Commission voted Tuesday to accept a petition that provides the gnarly-limbed yucca plants protected status for a year while the state conducts a study. The Joshua tree - which is not a tree but is actually a succulent called Yucca brevifolia - has graced the landscape of the Mojave desert for 2.5m years.