Five-Year Reviews

Research assistant, Brian Simon, conducts a transect survey for butterflies in a high-quality, ungrazed tract of tallgrass prairie. Photo by USFWS; Phil Delphey

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is required to review the status of each federally listed species every five years (Section 4(c)(2) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act)). These five-year reviews evaluate whether a federally listed species should be delisted, reclassified from endangered to threatened, reclassified from threatened to endangered, or if the species' classification should not change. The purpose of a five-year review is to ensure that listed species have the appropriate level of protection under the Act.

 

Completed Five-year Reviews in the Midwest - The Midwest Region has lead responsibility for 39 endangered and threatened species. This link goes to a list of those species for which there are completed five-year reviews and links to those reviews.

 

Initiated Five-year Reviews in the Midwest - This links to a list of the Midwest Regions' lead species for which five-year reviews have been initiated and links to the Federal Register Notices that initiated the reviews.

 

A Brief Explanation of Five-year Reviews

The best, available scientific data is considered for a five-year review, particularly information that has become available since the current listing determination or most recent status review of the species. Such information includes:

• species biology including (but not limited to) population trends, distribution, abundance, and demographics, and genetics;
• habitat conditions including (but not limited to) amount, distribution, and suitability;
• conservation measures that have been implemented that benefit the species;
• threat status and trends;
• other new information, data, or corrections including (but not limited to) changes in taxonomy or nomenclature, identification of erroneous information contained in the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; and improved analytical methods.

The review assesses: (1) whether new information suggests that the species is increasing, declining, or stable; (2) whether existing threats are increasing, unchanged, reduced, or eliminated; (3) if there are any new threats; and, (4) if any new information or analysis calls into question any of the conclusions in the original listing determination as to the species' classification.

 

The five-year review provides a recommendation, with supporting information, on whether a species classification should be changed; it does not change the species' classification. A species classification cannot be changed until a formal rulemaking process is completed, including a public review and comment period.

 

 

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Last updated: October 1, 2009