Endangered Species Bulletin Showcases 2011 Recovery Highlights

The Endangered Species Act provides a safety net for America’s native fish, wildlife and plants. Looking back on 2011, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proud of the remarkable successes of this landmark conservation law. The latest edition of the Endangered Species Bulletin looks at some of the exciting events and incredible achievements from 2011, and the many groups and individuals that helped make them happen. Caption: On September 26, 2011, the Black-footed Ferret Recovery Program celebrated the 30th anniversary of an effort to restore to the wild what was once one of most endangered animals in the United States. Credit: Kimberly Tamkun/USFWS

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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Investigates Bald Eagle Shooting

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is actively investigating the deaths of two bald eagles in Kansas. Bald eagles are protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. The killing of any eagle constitutes a violation of those acts. The USFWS will pay for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the killing of these or any other eagles or protected species. Anyone contributing information to authorities may choose to remain anonymous. Photo Caption: Bald Eagle Credit: Lori Iverson / USFWS

Press Release

Calling all Colorado Student Artists

The Junior Duck Stamp Program is in full flight in 2012, and all Colorado students (K-12) are welcome to participate. This free art and science program is designed to teach wetlands habitat and waterfowl conservation to America’s youth. Students are encouraged to submit their artwork to their state coordinator and will be judged according to grade level.

The first-place design from the national contest is used to create the official Junior Duck Stamp for the following year. These stamps are sold by the U.S. Postal Service for $5 each. Proceeds from sales support environmental education, and provide awards and scholarships for the students, teachers, and schools that participate in the program. All entries must be postmarked by March 15, 2012. An award ceremony to honor the top 100 state winners and participating schools will be held at the Arvada Center on May 12, 2012.

For more details on how Colorado students, teachers, and schools in your area can participate in this fun educational program, contact Colorado State Coordinator Seth Beres at (303) 289-0867 or visit: http://www.fws.gov/juniorduck/ArtContest.htm. Photo Caption:Junior Duck Stamp Artists

Nebraska Wildlife Refuge Celebrates Historic Anniversary

On January 11, 1912 President William Howard Taft established Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge as a preserve and breeding ground for native birds.
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Today, Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman recognized this historic anniversary by officially proclaiming this date as the 100th Anniversary Recognition of Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge. This important refuge provides habitat for over 230 species of birds, 350 bison, 75 elk, and a host of other mammal, reptile, amphibian, and fish species. Photo Caption:Bison Herd Waters along Nebraska's Fort Niobrara River. Credit: Phyllis Cooper / USFWS

Proclamation | More About the Refuge

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to Initiate a Status Review of the Western Glacier Stonefly

The Fish and Wildlife Service completed a finding on a petition to list the western glacier stonefly under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). After evaluating all of the scientific information described or cited in the petition and information readily available in our files, we concluded that the petitioners provided substantial information indicating that protecting the species under the ESA may be warranted. Therefore, we are initiating a full biological status review to determine if listing the species is warranted.

The western glacier stonefly has only been found in or near five streams on the east side of the Continental Divide in Glacier National Park in northern Montana. All but one of the western glacier stonefly specimens were collected between 1963 and 1969. Photo Caption: a Stonefly

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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Completes Land Protection Plan for the Expansion and Proposed Land Exchange at the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announced today that it has completed planning for an expansion of the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) as well as the exchange of a 300 foot right of way (approximately 100 acres) on the refuge’s eastern border. The refuge is located west of Denver along the Front Range between Highway 93 and Indiana Street, bordering Boulder and Jefferson counties. Photo Caption: Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge

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Rocky Flats Land Protection Plan/Environmental Assessment

Scientific Integrity

Any allegations of political officials attempting to influence the scientific process within the Fish and Wildlife Service or any other bureau within the Department of the Interior are investigated by Ralph Morgenweck.

Mr. Morgenweck, a 30 year veteran of the Interior Department, once was our leader here in the Mountain-Prairie region. National Public Radio’s Morning Edition recently interviewed Ralph about his efforts to ensure politics stay out of the laboratory.

Listen to the story here: http://www.npr.org/2011/11/30/142895926/complaint-tests-rule-protecting-science-from-politics

Investigations Lead to Enforcement Actions Against Commercial Oilfield Wastewater Disposal Facilities

Pedro Ramirez, USFWS Environmental Contaminants Specialists in Wyoming, worked with Service law enforcement agents, the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on investigations into migratory bird deaths at commercial oilfield wastewater disposal facilities.

These investigations have recently led to successful enforcement actions, including one in which a facility was levied a $40,000 fine and required to prevent chronic releases of oil into the facility evaporation pond in which birds had been killed. Three cases in Wyoming in which the Service's investigations were critical are included in the EPA’s annual enforcement report that was just released on December 8, 2011 (http://epa.gov/compliance/resources/reports/endofyear/eoy2011/index.html). Cases like these lead to decreases in pollution, increases in investments in pollution controls, and better protections for migratory birds.
More information about our contaminants program: http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/contaminants/contaminants1b.html
Photo Caption:Pied-billed grebe on an oil-covered evaporation pond at a commercial oilfield wastewater disposal facility. An estimated 500,000-1,000,000 migratory birds die each year in oilfield production skim pits and oil-covered evaporation ponds. Credit: RPedro Ramirez Jr. / USFWS

Greater Yellowstone Area Population of Grizzly Bears Remain Under Federal Protection

The 9th Circuit Court Appeals ruled on November 22, 2011 that the population of grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Area, which includes northwestern Wyoming, southern Montana, and northeastern Idaho, should remain federally protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Photo Caption: Grizzly Bear

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Connecting People With Nature: Ensuring the Future of Conservation:
Conservation = Commerce

The Service's Fisheries Program, in association with state agencies and other conservation organizations, contributes $3.6 billion to the nation’s economy and supports 68,000 jobs across the country, according to a new report issued today. Photo Caption: Allen Walker of the Welaka NFH, FL helps move a gulf sturgeon. Credit: Robert H. Pos / USFWS

News Release | Report Summary | Read the Full Report | Learn More

A New Look for the Connecting People with Nature: Let's Go Outside Website

The Service has launched a new web site, Connecting People with Nature: Let’s Go Outside, aimed at engaging young kids in outdoor activities, educating them about nature, and helping to implement the Department of the Interior’s Youth in the Great Outdoors initiative.

In addition, the Neighborhood Explorers online game has been revamped. The Neighborhood Explorers game still invites kids (8-11 years old) to explore a virtual club house where they can seek and identify birds by silhouette, learn about endangered and invasive species, and much more. The new features involve learning about conservation careers.

Learn More | Neighborhood Explorers

Fish and Wildlife Service Seeks Proposals from States for FY 2012 Endangered Species Grants

The Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking proposals from states and U.S. territories interested in obtaining federal financial assistance to acquire land or conduct planning efforts for endangered species conservation. The federal funds are provided under the Endangered Species Act to provide grants to states and territories to support participation in a wide array of voluntary conservation projects for species on the federal list of threatened and endangered species, as well as for species that are either candidates or have been proposed for listing. These projects range from species status surveys, captive propagation, and public education to habitat acquisition, restoration, and the development of conservation plans. Photo Caption: black-footed ferret Credit: Phoenix Zoo

Press Release | Open Spaces Web Site

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Determines Northern Leatherside Chub Does Not Warrant Protection Under the Endangered Species Act

The Fish and Wildlife Service has completed a review of the conservation status of the northern leatherside chub and concluded that it is not in danger of extinction or likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future. The northern leatherside chub (Lepidomeda copei) is a small desert fish in the minnow family that occurs in northern Utah and Nevada, southern and eastern Idaho, and western Wyoming. Current populations are found in the Bear, Snake, and Green River drainages.

We analyzed potential factors that may affect the habitat or range of the northern leatherside chub and found no information to indicate that these impacts are significantly negatively affecting the current status of the northern leatherside chub or will do so in the foreseeable future. Photo Caption: Northern Leatherside chub Credit: USFWS

Press Release | Learn More | More images on our Flickr site

Wetlands Losses are Slowing, Marking Conservation Gains and Need for Continued Investment in Habitat

America’s wetlands declined slightly from 2004-2009, underscoring the need for continued conservation and restoration efforts, according to the Service's National Wetlands Inventory Status and Trends Report issued today. The findings are consistent with the Service’s reports from previous decades that reflect a continuous but diminishing decline in wetlands habitat over time. Wetlands provide habitat for fish, wildlife and plants, and also provide a multitude of ecological, economic and social benefits for millions of people. Photo Caption: Coastal wetland in South Carolina. Credit: USFWS

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Service Proposes Gray Wolf Delisting and Transfer of Gray Wolf Management to the State of Wyoming

On October 4th, we announced a proposed rule to remove the gray wolf in Wyoming from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. The best scientific and commercial data available indicate that wolves in Wyoming are recovered and no longer meet the definition of endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Wyoming’s wolf population is stable, threats will be addressed, and a post-delisting monitoring and management plan has been developed. We seek information, data, and comments from the public about this proposal including the post-delisting monitoring and management framework. Photo Caption: Gray Wolf

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Service to Host Public Meeting Regarding the Draft Environmental Assessment for the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge Land Exchange and Expansion

Pursuant to the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge Act of 2001, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is to make available a parcel of land up to 300’ wide from the existing Indiana Street right-of-way on the eastern border of the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge for the sole purpose of transportation improvements. Photo Caption: View from Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge Credit: Mike Dixon / USFWS.

Read More | Learn More |Questions and Answers | Fact Sheet

Service Announces Opening of Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge to Limited Elk Hunts in 2012

In 2012 Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge, in Walden, Colo., will open to a number of limited elk hunts for the first time. There are restrictions to the upcoming hunts. Specifically, hunting permits will be issued on a preference to youth and the disabled. If the target number for permits is not filled, then a random draw of able-bodied hunters will fill the remaining permit numbers in accordance with state and refuge regulations. Photo Caption: Elk Near Soap Creek House Credit: Rhonda Foley / USFWS.

Read More | Learn More |Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges

Wyoming Sage-Grouse Implementation Team Honored

The Wyoming Sage-Grouse Implementation Team was presented a Partner in Conservation Award by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar at a recent awards ceremony in Washington D.C.

Partners in Conservation Awards were given to 17 organizations who have achieved exemplary conservation results with community engagement and local partnerships.

The work of the Wyoming team has resulted in a cascade of conservation efforts and resource development options that currently conserve over 1 million acres of sagebrush habitats in Wyoming, and will likely extend to more than 18 million acres across the species range within the near future.

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U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Announces Opening of Ouray National Wildlife Refuge to Limited Elk Hunting

Ouray National Wildlife Refuge, in Randlett, Utah, has increased its public big game hunting opportunities this year by opening the refuge to elk hunting for the first time. To avoid conflicts with other uses, including waterfowl hunting and to minimize disturbance of migratory birds during peak migration periods, elk hunting opportunities are limited to specific seasons.

Read More | Ouray Refuge | Hunting on National Wildife Refuges

Dakota Grassland Conservation Area Moves a Step Closer to Reality

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe has approved the Land Protection Plan and associated documents for the proposed Dakota Grassland Conservation Area, enabling one of the centerpieces of President Obama's America's Great Outdoors Initiative to be considered for funding approval by the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission at the Commission’s meeting next week. If the funding is approved by the Commission, the Service’s acquisition would establish a new unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System consisting of perpetual conservation easements on private lands in the Prairie Pothole Region of the Dakotas. Through this proposal, the Service would seek to acquire easements from willing sellers on approximately 2 million acres of native prairie habitat to benefit wildlife and support traditional economic activities, specifically livestock production. Conservation easements allow lands to remain in private ownership, in production and on local tax rolls. Funding for these easements would come from the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund and not from general taxpayer dollars. The Obama Administration has also asked Congress to approve an increase in the price of the Federal Duck Stamp, which is a major source of funding for Migratory Bird Conservation Fund. This price increase would generate additional funding to help preserve waterfowl habitat throughout the United States. Photo Caption: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe signs the Land Protective Plan and associated documents for the proposed Dakota Grassland Conservation Area. Credit: Nan Rollison / USFWS

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Service Reminds Hunters and Landowners of Federal Waterfowl Hunting Regulations

The Service is reminding all hunters and landowners of federal waterfowl hunting regulations concerning crop manipulation (baiting). Farm producers, who utilize their land for hunting or lease the hunting rights on their land, need to make sure they are following federal waterfowl hunting regulations. Photo Caption: Canada Geese by George Gentry USFWS

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Learn More about Waterfowl Hunting & Baiting
Learn More about Dove Hunting & Baiting

Salazar Announces $53 Million in Grants to Support Habitat Acquisition and Conservation Planning for Endangered Species

Secretary of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar today announced more than $53 million in grants to 17 states to support conservation planning and acquisition of vital habitat for threatened and endangered fish, wildlife, and plants. The grants, awarded through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund under Section 6 of the Endangered Species Act, will benefit numerous imperiled species ranging from the Peninsular bighorn sheep to the Karner blue butterfly. Photo Caption: Section 6 funding protects lands that support a diverse mosaic of habitat types and serve as important wildlife corridors for many listed species, such as the black-footed ferret.


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Fish Habitat Benefits from More Than $3 Million in Funding

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will provide more than $3.4 million to support 84 fish habitat projects in 38 states across the nation under the National Fish Habitat Action Plan. An additional $9.8 million in partner contributions - more than $13.2 million in total - will go toward restoring and enhancing stream, lake and coastal habitat, as well as improving recreational fishing and helping endangered species Photo Eastern brook trout. Credit: USFWS


News Release | List of Awards

Bird mortality in oil and gas production facilities can be prevented

Oiling of this pied-billed grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) could have been avoided if the proper steps to exclude wildlife were taken. According to a study published by Pepper Trail, forensic ornithologist with the Service’s Forensics Laboratory in Ashland, Oregon, an estimated 500,000 to 1 million migratory birds die each year in oilfield production skim pits and oil-covered evaporation ponds in oilfield wastewater disposal facilities. Photo pied-billed grebe Photo Credit: Pedro Ramirez, Jr. / USFWS

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Endangered Species Act Protection for the Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse Will Be Reinstated in Wyoming

August 4, 2011: The Preble’s meadow jumping mouse will again be protected in Wyoming under the Endangered Species Act as of August 6. The Fish and Wildlife Service reinstated protections for the mouse, which is already protected in Colorado, in order to comply with a requested court order.

Preble’s populations throughout the species’ range in Colorado and Wyoming will be federally protected, with a special rule in place to allow rodent control, agricultural operations, landscape maintenance, noxious weed control, ditch maintenance, and other specified activities to occur provided they are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the special rule.

The Service will not reinstate its previous designation of critical habitat for the mouse in Wyoming.

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Salazar, Ashe Finalize Agreement with Wyoming on Revised Gray Wolf Management Plan

Whitebark Pine to be Designated a Candidate for Endangered Species Protection

REMAINS OF PREHISTORIC AQUATIC REPTILE UNEARTHED AT MONTANA WILDLIFE REFUGE

Service Strengthens Work Plan to Restore Biological Priorities and Certainty to Endangered Species Listing Process

Montanans Encouraged to Call Hotline to Report Potentially Oiled Wildlife

'Staycation' Destinations: National Wildlife Refuges

National wildlife refuges are full of free or low-cost outdoor summer adventures from paddle trips and fishing rodeos to butterfly counts and scavenger hunts in the night sky. There’s a refuge within an hour’s drive of most major American cities. The National Wildlife Refuge System, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is the premier system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America’s fish, wildlife and plants.

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Trends in Duck Breeding Populations — Report Released

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2011 Report on Trends in Duck Breeding Populations summarizes information about the status of duck populations and wetland habitats during spring of 2011. The preliminary population estimate of total ducks from the 2011 Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey was 45.6 million birds.

Photo Caption: A mallard drake takes flight. Credit: USFWS

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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Determines Fisher In The Northern Rocky Mountains Does Not Warrant Protection Under The Endangered Species Act

The Fish and Wildlife Service completed a conservation status review of the fisher in the Northern Rocky Mountains (central and northern Idaho and western Montana) and concluded it does not warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act.

We analyzed potential factors that may affect the habitat and range of the fisher in the those states including timber harvest and management, climate change, fire, forest disease, furbearer trapping, disease and predator relationships, inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms, and the effects of small population size. We concluded that these potential factors do not significantly impact the species.

Even though the species will not be protected under the Endangered Species Act, we recognize that the fisher in the Northern Rockies may benefit from increased management emphasis due to its need for forest cover and its susceptibility to capture and mortality from furbearer harvest. We recommend and encourage additional research to improve the understanding of the species and precautionary measures to protect the species. Photo Caption: Fisher Credit: John Jacobsen

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Service Announces ESA Protection May Be Warranted for Two Bat Species

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today the eastern small-footed and northern long-eared bats may warrant federal protection as threatened or endangered species, following an initial review of a petition seeking to protect the species under the Endangered Species Act. The Service will initiate a more thorough status review for both bats to determine whether these species should be added to the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife.

The northern long-eared bat occurs across much of the eastern and north-central United States and across all Canadian provinces west to the southern Northwest Territories and eastern British Columbia.  The species range includes Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. The species is variably distributed and rarely found in large numbers. Photo Caption: Northern long-eared bats. Credit: Shelly Colatskie / Missouri Department of Conservation
 

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Prison Term for Key Defendant in Record-setting Service/State Case

A Texas commercial hunting guide who pleaded guilty to felony conspiracy, wildlife trafficking, and obstruction of justice charges was ordered to spend 41 months in Federal prison, pay $50,000 in fines and restitution, and be barred from hunting and guiding for three years after his release. The man's unlawful guiding activities were the subject of a cooperative investigation involving Service special agents and State wildlife officers in Kansas and Texas -- an investigation that resulted in the largest wildlife crime case ever in the State of Kansas, Photo Caption: Out-of- state hunters paid the defendant and his brother as much as $5,500 each for the opportunity to hunt trophy deer unlawfully in southern Kanas. The mounts shown here were among scores seized as evidence by Service investigators. Credit: USFWS

News Release (DOJ)

Montana Men Charged with Eagle Trafficking

A three-year Service investigation of the unlawful sale of eagle and migratory bird feathers and parts has resulted in the arrests and arraignment of three individuals in Montana. They join four defendants indicted in this case earlier this month in South Dakota. Charges against the seven include conspiracy and violations of three Federal wildlife protection laws -- the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, and the Lacey Act. Photo Caption: black market trade continues to exist for the feathers and parts of golden eagles and other federally protected raptors. Credit: George Gentry / USFWS

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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Will Not Conduct In-Depth Review to Consider Listing the Utah Population of the Gila Monster

The Service has completed a review of a petition seeking protection under the Endangered Species Act for the Utah population of Gila monster.  We find that the petition did not provide substantial scientific information to indicate that Federal protection of this population is warranted.  We will continue to work with our partners to conserve and protect Gila monsters across the species’ range.

Photo Caption: Gila Monster Credit: Jeff Servoss/USFWS

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Utah Prairie Dog Will Remain Classified as a Threatened Species

The Service has determined there is not substantial information to warrant reclassifying the Utah prairie dog from threatened to endangered under the Endangered Species Act.  In simple terms, endangered species are at risk of extinction now; threatened species are likely to be at risk in the near future.

The Utah prairie dog was listed as an endangered species in 1973.  In 1984, the Service reclassified the species as threatened.  The primary threats to the species are habitat loss from urban development and loss of prairie dog colonies from plague outbreaks.  Despite these threats, Utah prairie dog populations are stable to increasing.  On-going conservation efforts to address these threats include: protection of occupied habitat, Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs), plague response, and plague research. 

Photo Caption: Utah prairie dog Credit: Laura Romin and Larry Dalton

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Fish and Wildlife Service Completes Status Review for Five Wyoming Plants

The Fish and Wildlife Service has completed a status review of five Wyoming plants.  We have determined that Fremont County rockcress (Boechera pusilla) warrants protection under the Endangered Species Act; however, listing the plant is precluded by the need to address other higher priority listing actions for other species. The Fremont County rockcress will be added to the list of candidate species under the ESA and will be proposed for listing when funding and workload priorities for other listing actions allow.

We have also determined that Gibbens’ beardtongue, precocious milkvetch, Ross’ bentgrass, and Yellowstone sand verbena do not warrant protection under the Act because we found no factors that cause these species to be endangered or threatened.  We made these findings after a thorough review of all the available scientific and commercial information regarding the status of these species. Photo Boechera pusilla by Bonnie Heidel Wyoming Natural Diversity Database.

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Rhino Horn Traffickers Sentenced to Prison Terms

Two Irish nationals who were arrested last fall after buying four black rhino horns from an undercover Service special agent have pleaded guilty to Federal charges for attempted illegal export. The pair were ordered to serve six months in Federal prison and forfeit $17,600. Photo Caption: New interest in rhino horn has sparked an upsurge in both rhino poaching and horn trafficking. The black rhino is classified as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and is protected worldwide under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (a listing that bans commercial import/export).

News Release | Rhino Conservation

Winnebago, Paiute and Goshute Tribes Awarded More Than Half-Million Dollars for Conservation Projects

Three tribes were selected for award of conservation grants for the first time this year. The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska was selected for award of two grants. The Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Indians and the Paiute Indian Tribe in Utah were each selected for award of one Tribal Wildlife Grant.

Read More About the Winnebago Tribe Projects | Read More About the Paiute and Goshute Projects | Learn More

The Year of the Black-footed Ferret

The Black-footed Ferret Recovery Program is celebrating two major milestones this year: the 30th Anniversary of the species rediscovery and the 20th Anniversary of their successful return to the wild. This year a recurring renewal repeats itself as kits are born in successfully established wild populations and at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center in northern Colorado and the National Zoo’s Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia. Photo caption: Black-footed Ferret kit born at the National BFF Conservation Center Photo Credit: Kimberly Tamkun/USFWS

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Endangered Species Success Story!

The Endangered Species Act, which became law in 1973, has helped to prevent the extinction of hundreds of species – including the Maguire daisy.

When the Maguire daisy was listed as endangered in 1985, there were 7 known plants.  Now there are 163,000 plants within 10 populations in southeastern Utah. 

Native plants are important for their ecological, economic, and aesthetic values. Plants play an important role in development of crops that resist disease, insects, and drought.

At least 25 percent of prescription drugs contain ingredients derived from plant compounds, including medicine to treat cancer, heart disease, juvenile leukemia, and malaria, and to assist in organ transplants. Plants are also used to develop natural pesticides.

Endangered Species Day will be observed on May 20, 2011.  On this day we will celebrate America’s natural heritage and our country’s successful efforts to protect imperiled species.

To find out more about the recovery of the Maguire daisy, click here Maguire Daisy website -  http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/plants/maguiredaisy/

For more information about Endangered Species Day, click here: http://www.fws.gov/endangered/esday/2011.html

Service Celebrates 2011 Endangered Species Day!

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and numerous conservation organizations will observe Endangered Species Day on May 20, 2011. To date, the Endangered Species Act, which became law in 1973, has helped to prevent the extinction of hundreds of species.

The black-footed ferret is one of the most endangered mammals in the world.  The species was considered extinct when in 1981 a population was discovered in Meeteetse, Wyoming.

Following disease outbreaks at Meeteetse, all surviving wild black-footed ferrets were removed between 1985 and 1987 to initiate a captive breeding program. No wild populations of black-footed ferrets have been found since the capture of the last Meeteetse ferret, despite extensive and intensive range wide searches. It is unlikely that any undiscovered wild populations remain.

Seven of the black-footed ferrets captured at Meeteetse successfully reared young, leading to a lineage of continuing captive reproduction. Extant populations, both captive and reintroduced, descend from these seven “founder” animals. Since 1991, 19 specific black-footed ferret reintroduction projects have been conducted across 8 States, Canada, and Mexico

News Release | Learn More About Endangered Species | Lean More About the Black-footed Ferret

Fish and Wildlife Service Determines the Mountain Plover Does Not Warrant Protection Under the Endangered Species Act

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has determined that the mountain plover, a native bird of short-grass prairie and shrub-steppe landscapes, does not warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act.  An analysis of the potential threats to the mountain plover does not indicate the species is in danger of extinction or likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future.

Mountain plovers breed in the western Great Plains and Rocky Mountain States from the extreme southern Canada to northern Mexico.  Within the United States, most breeding occurs in Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado; fewer breeding birds occur in Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah. 

Mountain plovers winter in California, southern Arizona, Texas and Mexico. 

We estimate the current mountain plover breeding population to be over 20,000 birds.

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Service Announces Work Plan to Restore Biological Priorities and Certainty to Endangered Species Listing Process

The Department of the Interior’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today unveiled a work plan that will reduce litigation-driven workloads and allow the agency to focus its resources on the species most in need of protections under the Endangered Species Act. “For the first time in years, this work plan will give the wildlife professionals of the Service the opportunity to put the needs of species first and extend that safety net to those truly in need of protection, rather than having our workload driven by the courts. It will also give states, stakeholders, and the public much-needed certainty,” said Deputy Secretary of the Interior David Hayes.

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Interior Announces Next Steps in Protection, Recovery, and Scientific Management of Wolves

The Department of the Interior’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that it is proposing to delist biologically recovered gray wolf populations in the Western Great Lakes, and – in accordance with recently enacted legislation – reinstating the Service’s 2009 decision to delist biologically recovered gray wolf populations in the Northern Rocky Mountains. “Like other iconic species such as the whooping crane, the brown pelican, and the bald eagle, the recovery of the gray wolf is another success story of the Endangered Species Act,” said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. “The gray wolf’s biological recovery reflects years of work by scientists, wildlife managers, and our state, tribal, and stakeholder partners to bring wolf populations back to healthy levels.”

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United Park City Mines Corporation Recognized for Environmental Cleanup

United Park City Mines Corporation was recently recognized by the Fish and Wildlife Service for its efforts in accomplishing significant environmental cleanup at the Richardson Flat Tailings Site near Park City, Utah.  Richardson Flat is a historical mining site that consists of a tailings dam and impoundment that were used to capture and hold mill tailings from the Ontario Mine near Park City. The Site sits on approximately 600 acres two miles northeast of Park City, Utah. 

Major remediation and restoration activities began at Richardson Flat in late 2007 and will be completed within the next year.  These activities have reduced the human health and ecological risk to levels below concern. The restoration will restore the site’s natural resources through wetland restoration projects that will increase wildlife habitat value and opportunities for human recreational use, such as bird watching. Common wildlife at Richardson Flat includes ducks, geese, shorebirds, cranes, egrets, herons, songbirds, frogs, and small mammals.

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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Issues Finding of No Significant Impact Regarding Use of Glyphosate-Tolerant Soybeans and Corn on National Wildlife Refuge System Lands in the Mountain-Prairie Region

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has determined that the use of glyphosate-tolerant corn and soybeans for habitat management purposes on National Wildlife Refuge System lands within the Mountain-Prairie Region will have no significant impacts on the quality of the human environment.

States within the Mountain-Prairie Region include Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

Short-term use of glyphosate-tolerant corn and soybeans directly supports and contributes to long-term habitat restoration goals and objectives for national wildlife refuges in the Mountain-Prairie Region.  It is an effective and environmentally-friendly method to convert current and former farm land into native, beneficial habitats for wildlife.

We released a draft environmental assessment in February 2011 for public review and comments were solicited. All comments received were considered in the final environmental assessment.

Copies of the final environmental assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact are available for viewing or downloading under the Supplemental Reports section on the Service’s Refuge planning website at www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/planning/resources/index.html. Those without internet access may request copies by calling the USFWS Regional Office at 303-236-8145.

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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to Initiate a Status Review of the Arapahoe Snowfly

The Fish and Wildlife Service will undertake a thorough review of the Arapahoe snowfly to determine whether to propose adding the species to the federal list of threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act.

The Arapahoe snowfly is an insect found in two tributaries of the Cache la Poudre River in Colorado.  Snowflies are typically found in cold, clean, well-oxygenated streams and rivers.  They are sensitive to most types of pollution and therefore, their presence can be an indication of a healthy stream ecosystem.

To ensure this status review is comprehensive, we are asking for scientific information from state and federal resource agencies regarding the Arapahoe stonefly and its habitat.  Information will be accepted until June 27, 2011.

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Vista Ridge High School Student Wins 2011 Colorado Junior Duck Stamp Contest

Kal Athannassov, a 16 year old student from Vista Ridge High School in Colorado Springs, took top honors by winning the “Best of Show” in Colorado at the 2011 Junior Duck Stamp Contest. His acrylic paint rendition of a Fulvous Whistling Duck, entitled "Before The Storm,” will represent Colorado and be entered at the National Junior Duck Stamp Competition in Washington, D.C. at the end of April.

The Federal Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program is an educational program designed for all public, private, and home schooled students in grades k-12 to learn more about waterfowl and habitat conservation.

Entries from Colorado were judged by a panel of waterfowl enthusiasts, biologists and professional wildlife artists. Recognition for all participants and prizes for the top 25 drawings in each of four age groups (K-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12) are awarded each year.

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Meltwater Lednian Stonefly Designated a Candidate for Endangered Species Protection

The Fish and Wildlife Service has determined that the meltwater lednian stonefly, an aquatic insect, warrants protection under the Endangered Species Act, but that proposing the species for protection is precluded by the need to address other high priority species.  We added the meltwater lednian stonefly to the list of candidate species and will review its status annually. The meltwater lednian stonefly is found in only a few locations within Glacier National Park, Montana.
 
Stoneflies are primarily associated with clean, cool streams and rivers.  Juvenile meltwater lednian stoneflies are found in snow-melt runoff streams in high elevation, alpine and subalpine streams, most typically in locations closely linked to glacial runoff. 

We have also determined the Bearmouth and Byrne Resort mountainsnails also found in Montana do not warrant protection under the Act.  Because these mountainsnails are not recognized as species by the scientific community, they are not listable entities as defined by the ESA.  Since we have concluded that the two petitioned mountainsnails are not listable entities, an analysis of threats is not required under the ESA.  Therefore, we will take no further action with these species at this time.

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Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes Protection Measures for Exploratory Oil and Gas Wells on the Baca National Wildlife Refuge in Southern Colorado

The Fish and Wildlife Service has issued a Finding of No Significant Impact for a proposal by Lexam Explorations (U.S.A.), Inc. to drill two exploratory oil and gas wells on the Baca National Wildlife Refuge, located in the San Luis Valley in south-central Colorado.  A Finding of No Significant Impact is issued when the environmental analysis and interagency review find a project proposal to have no significant impacts on the quality of the environment. 

This finding is supported by the final environmental assessment which describes the project proposed by Lexam to conduct initial exploration of mineral interests under the Refuge and analyzes alternatives that seek to protect Refuge resources while honoring a mineral owner's legally vested right to access and explore. 

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Interior Announces Proposed Settlement of Gray Wolf Lawsuit

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has reached an agreement with the majority of plaintiffs, including Defenders of Wildlife, the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, and eight other conservation organizations, to settle ongoing litigation over a Federal District Court’s 2010 decision to reinstate Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains.

News Release (DOI)
FAQs (DOI)
Terms of Settlement (DOI)

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Will Not Conduct In-Depth Review To Consider Listing The Wild Plains Bison

Status Reviews Completed for Native Utah Plants

Happy 140th Anniversary U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fisheries Program!

Salazar Announces Additional Steps toward Smarter Development of Renewable Energy on U.S. Public Lands

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Announces Delisting of Maguire Daisy

After a 25-year conservation effort involving Federal land management partners the Maguire daisy (Erigeron maguirei) has fully recovered and will be removed from the list of threatened and endangered species. The best scientific and commercial information available indicates the Maguire daisy has recovered and no longer meets the definition of threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. This delisting is another success for the Endangered Species Act and would not have been possible if not for the commitment of multiple Federal land management agencies. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and its Federal partners will monitor the species for at least 10 years to ensure the species’ status does not deteriorate.


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Flint Hills Legacy Conservation Area Featured in Refuge Update

Read more about the newly established Flint Hills Legacy Conservation Area in eastern Kansas in the latest edition of the Service’s Refuge Update.

This new unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System is the result of a collaborative conservation effort by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, and private landowners to protect up to 1.1 million acres of native tallgrass prairie within a 3.3 million acre project boundary.

The National Wildlife Refuge System, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is the world's premier system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife and plants.

Learn more about this conservation initiative, as well as other Refuge news in this month’s Refuge Update.

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U.S. Fish and Wildlife's D.C. Booth Preserves Fisheries History One Accession at a Time

The following article is a window into America’s pre-eminent museum of fisheries and hatcheries, the D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery and Archives. Any sport fisherman would find this special place worthy of a visit. The next best thing to visiting is this article.

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Wolverine to be Designated a Candidate for Endangered Species Protection

After a thorough review of all the available science, the Fish and Wildlife Service has determined that the contiguous United States population of wolverine should be protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).  However, the rulemaking to propose ESA protections for the wolverine will be delayed while we work on listing proposals for other species in greater need.  The wolverine will be added to the list of candidates for ESA protection.  As a candidate species, the wolverine will not receive protection under the ESA; however, we will review its status annually and will continue to work with landowners and partners to implement voluntary conservation measures.

The results of status review indicate that climate warming is the primary threat to wolverine.  Our evaluation found that the effects of climate warming are serious but so far have not resulted in any detectable population effects to the species.  Because the threat of climate warming is not imminent, we will use our resources to work on listing determinations for species at greater risk of extinction.

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Bow Hunter Discovers Rare Prehistoric Sea Creature on Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge

When most Montana residents and visitors hear the name Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, often their first thoughts turn to big game hunting. During the fall archery season, a bow hunter searching for an elk on the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge found something he was not actually looking for; the fossilized bones of a rare prehistoric sea creature called a plesiosaur. Dave Bradt of Florence, Montana notified the Refuge Headquarters in Lewistown of the discovery right away. The find is scientifically significant and promises to add to our knowledge about the remote past in what is now Montana.

News Release
Charles M Russell National Wildlife Refuge

Service Releases Record of Decision on South Dakota Prairie Wind Project

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released its Record of Decision on the South Dakota Prairie Winds Project.  This document explains the Service’s decision to release and relinquish certain easement rights for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the proposed wind energy generation facilities on lands in Aurora County and Brule Counties, South Dakota

News Release
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Secretary Salazar Marks Establishment of Flint Hills Legacy Conservation Area

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced the creation of the Flint Hills Legacy Conservation Area in eastern Kansas, a new unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
 
The newly established Flint Hills Legacy Conservation Area is the result of a collaborative conservation effort by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, and private landowners to protect up to 1.1 million acres of native tallgrass prairie within a 3.3 million acre project boundary.

The National Wildlife Refuge System is America’s premier system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve fish, wildlife and plants. 
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View the Environmental Assessment and Land Protection Plan

Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge

Couple Sentenced for Bobcat Trapping andTrafficking

A Colorado husband and wife who unlawfully trapped bobcats and sold their pelts to fur buyers in other States were sentenced in Federal court to penalties that include a 27-month prison term for one and multiyear prohibitions on hunting, trappinig, and fishing for both. A Service/State investigation of the pair documented mulitiple felony offenses under Federal conspiracy, wildlife, and firearms laws as well as such State violations as trapping bobcats without a license, using leghold traps, and submitting false records to the Colorado Division of Wildlife.

Photo Caption: Colorado and other States regulate the trapping of bobcats to ensure the long-term viability of this native North American wildcat species -- a species that remains popular in the fur trade. Credit: USFWS

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Critical Habitat for Bull Trout Revised

The Fish and Wildlife Service has revised the 2005 critical habitat designation for bull trout, a threatened species protected under the Endangered Species Act. The range of the bull trout includes Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada.

In Montana, the Service designated as critical habitat approximately 3,056 stream miles and approximately 221,471 acres of lakes or reservoirs in Deer Lodge, Flathead, Glacier, Granite, Lake, Lewis and Clark, Lincoln, Mineral, Missoula, Powell, Ravalli, and Sanders Counties.

Under the Endangered Species Act, critical habitat is defined as a specific geographic area that is essential for the conservation of a threatened or endangered species and that may require special management considerations or protection. A critical habitat designation does not affect land ownership or set up a preserve or refuge and only applies to situations where federal funding, permitting, or land is involved.

Read More | More Information from the Mountain-Prairie Region

More Information from the Pacific Region

See our YouTube video at http://www.youtube.com/usfws#p/c/00CA362652FF8AB3/0/u2Gz0PcSSV0