Untitled Document

Updated List of Candidates for Endangered Species Act Protection Released Today

October 30, 2001

01-128

Contact:
Patricia Foulk, Sacramento, California - 916/414-6566 E-mail: Patricia_Foulk@mail.fws.gov
Jane Hendron, Carlsbad, California - 760/431-9440
Lois Grunwald, Ventura, California - 805/644-1766
Randi Thompson, Reno, Nevada - 775/861-6319

UPDATED LIST OF CANDIDATES FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT PROTECTION RELEASED TODAY

SACRAMENTO, California--The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service today published an updated Candidate Notice of Review (CNOR) identifying plant and animal species native to the United States that are candidates or have been proposed for addition to the List of Endangered or Threatened Wildlife and Plants under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The list names 252 species as candidates, as well as 35 species that have been proposed for listing.

The CNOR lists those species previously identified as candidates, species for which petitions have resulted in "warranted but precluded" findings and other species that warrant listing under the ESA. A species identified as a candidate for listing is one for which the Service has sufficient scientific information available to support a proposal to list an animal or plant as threatened or endangered but for which preparation and publication of a proposal is precluded by higher priority listing actions.

The Service periodically publishes the CNOR to solicit additional information about the status of candidate species, the threats they face and conservation actions that are being implemented that may benefit the species. However, the Service also accepts information from the public about candidate species at any time and uses this information in the preparation of listing rules for the highest priority candidates and in revisions to future CNORs. In addition, the CNOR informs the public which species the Service is considering proposing for protection, encourages conservation and promotes development that accommodates the needs of candidate species.

"For our endangered species program to be effective, we need to communicate with the public," said Marshall Jones, the Service’s acting director. "The notice provides information about the threats our fish, wildlife and plants face. We hope it will focus more attention on imperiled species so we can work in partnership with the American people to conserve and recover them."

The CNOR also explains the Service’s science-based priority system for adding species to the list. Each candidate species is assigned a listing priority number based on the immediacy and magnitude of the threats faced by the species and on its taxonomic distinctiveness, full species receiving higher priority than subspecies. The species’ listing priority decides the relative order in which proposed listing rules are prepared.

The Service has removed 75 species from the candidate list since it was last revised in October 1999. Fifty-four species were removed because they were listed as threatened or endangered, including 18 found in California. Twenty-one species were removed from candidate status because available information did not support a proposed listing or the Service withdrew the proposed listing, including three found in California and two found in Nevada. Twenty-six new candidates were added to the list including one found in California and one found in both California and Nevada.

"We hope that early recognition of these species’ needs will focus attention on what conservation actions can be taken now with the help of individuals, non-profit organizations, Federal and State resource agencies, businesses and industry," said Steve Thompson, the Service’s Acting California-Nevada Operations Manager.

Also in the CNOR, the Service reassessed its "warranted but precluded" findings for 32 candidate species that citizens petitioned the Service to list, as provided for in the Endangered Species Act. In making a warranted but precluded finding, the Service determines there is enough biological information to indicate that a species may need listing, but that proposing to list the species is precluded by the need to list higher priority species first. A warranted but precluded finding is equivalent to a determination that a species is a candidate for listing. The Act requires the Service to conduct an annual review of all warranted but precluded findings. In its reassessment, the Service found that listing all of these species was still warranted but precluded. Of these species, 4 are found in California and one is found in Nevada, and 3 can be found in both California and Nevada.

The complete Notice and list of candidates and proposed species appear in today's Federal Register. Species added to the candidate list from California and Nevada are listed below.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 94-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses more than 535 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 70 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.

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ADDITIONS TO THE LIST OF CANDIDATE SPECIES

California

Island fox (Urocyon littoralis)- San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz and Santa Catalina islands

The Santa Catalina Island fox, Santa Cruz Island fox, San Miguel Island fox and Santa Rosa Island are all subspecies of the island fox, an animal whose numbers are in steep decline. Total island fox numbers have fallen from approximately 6,000 individuals to less than 2,000 in the last 4 years. Island fox populations on San Miguel and Santa Cruz islands declined by an estimated 80 to 90 percent, and, based on studies conducted as recently as 1999, the island fox has a 50 percent chance of extinction over the next 5 to 10 years. Long-term island fox population monitoring has not been undertaken on Santa Rosa Island; however, anecdotal observations and limited trapping efforts strongly suggest that a similar decline has occurred for this population as well. The primary causes of the decline of these island fox subspecies are the degradation of habitat by introduced animals such as sheep, goats, rabbits, deer, elk, cattle pigs and horses, increased predation by golden eagles, the rapid spread of canine distemper through the Santa Catalina subspecies, and the lack of regulations to address the threats. Based on imminent threats of a high magnitude, these island fox subspecies have a listing priority number of 3.

The island fox, which is smaller than a house cat, is grayish-white and black on the back and dull white on the underbelly. The base of the ears and sides of the neck and limbs are cinnamon colored. Males are larger than females.

California and Nevada

Yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus)- Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

While the cuckoo is still relatively common east of the crest of the Rocky Mountains, biologists estimate that more than 90 percent of the bird's riparian (streamside) habitat in the West has been lost or degraded. These modifications, and the resulting decline in the distribution and abundance of yellow-billed cuckoos throughout the western states, are believed to be due to conversion to agriculture; grazing; competition from nonnative plants, such as tamarisk; river management, including altered flow and sediment regime; and flood control practices, such as channelization and bank protection. Based on non-imminent threats of a high magnitude, a listing priority number of 6 has been assigned to this distinct population segment of yellow-billed cuckoo.

The yellow-billed cuckoo is a secretive robin-sized bird that in the western United States breeds in willow and cottonwood forests along rivers. The bird’s most notable features are a long boldly patterned black and white tail, and an elongated and down-curved bill, which is yellow on the bottom. Its plumage is grayish-brown above and white below. Adults have a narrow, yellow eye ring. The bird eats primarily large insects such as caterpillars and cicadas as well as an occasional small frog or lizard.

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		External Affairs Program

	Updated List of Candidates for Endangered Species Act Protection Released Today October 30, 2001 Site Search Home 01-128 Contact: Patricia Foulk, Sacramento, California - 916/414-6566 E-mail: Patricia_Foulk@mail.fws.gov Jane Hendron, Carlsbad, California - 760/431-9440 Lois Grunwald, Ventura, California - 805/644-1766 Randi Thompson, Reno, Nevada - 775/861-6319 UPDATED LIST OF CANDIDATES FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT PROTECTION RELEASED TODAY SACRAMENTO, California--The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service today published an updated Candidate Notice of Review (CNOR) identifying plant and animal species native to the United States that are candidates or have been proposed for addition to the List of Endangered or Threatened Wildlife and Plants under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The list names 252 species as candidates, as well as 35 species that have been proposed for listing. The CNOR lists those species previously identified as candidates, species for which petitions have resulted in "warranted but precluded" findings and other species that warrant listing under the ESA. A species identified as a candidate for listing is one for which the Service has sufficient scientific information available to support a proposal to list an animal or plant as threatened or endangered but for which preparation and publication of a proposal is precluded by higher priority listing actions. The Service periodically publishes the CNOR to solicit additional information about the status of candidate species, the threats they face and conservation actions that are being implemented that may benefit the species. However, the Service also accepts information from the public about candidate species at any time and uses this information in the preparation of listing rules for the highest priority candidates and in revisions to future CNORs. In addition, the CNOR informs the public which species the Service is considering proposing for protection, encourages conservation and promotes development that accommodates the needs of candidate species. "For our endangered species program to be effective, we need to communicate with the public," said Marshall Jones, the Service’s acting director. "The notice provides information about the threats our fish, wildlife and plants face. We hope it will focus more attention on imperiled species so we can work in partnership with the American people to conserve and recover them." The CNOR also explains the Service’s science-based priority system for adding species to the list. Each candidate species is assigned a listing priority number based on the immediacy and magnitude of the threats faced by the species and on its taxonomic distinctiveness, full species receiving higher priority than subspecies. The species’ listing priority decides the relative order in which proposed listing rules are prepared. The Service has removed 75 species from the candidate list since it was last revised in October 1999. Fifty-four species were removed because they were listed as threatened or endangered, including 18 found in California. Twenty-one species were removed from candidate status because available information did not support a proposed listing or the Service withdrew the proposed listing, including three found in California and two found in Nevada. Twenty-six new candidates were added to the list including one found in California and one found in both California and Nevada. "We hope that early recognition of these species’ needs will focus attention on what conservation actions can be taken now with the help of individuals, non-profit organizations, Federal and State resource agencies, businesses and industry," said Steve Thompson, the Service’s Acting California-Nevada Operations Manager. Also in the CNOR, the Service reassessed its "warranted but precluded" findings for 32 candidate species that citizens petitioned the Service to list, as provided for in the Endangered Species Act. In making a warranted but precluded finding, the Service determines there is enough biological information to indicate that a species may need listing, but that proposing to list the species is precluded by the need to list higher priority species first. A warranted but precluded finding is equivalent to a determination that a species is a candidate for listing. The Act requires the Service to conduct an annual review of all warranted but precluded findings. In its reassessment, the Service found that listing all of these species was still warranted but precluded. Of these species, 4 are found in California and one is found in Nevada, and 3 can be found in both California and Nevada. The complete Notice and list of candidates and proposed species appear in today's Federal Register. Species added to the candidate list from California and Nevada are listed below. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 94-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses more than 535 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 70 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies. *Top of Page* ADDITIONS TO THE LIST OF CANDIDATE SPECIES California Island fox (Urocyon littoralis)- San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz and Santa Catalina islands The Santa Catalina Island fox, Santa Cruz Island fox, San Miguel Island fox and Santa Rosa Island are all subspecies of the island fox, an animal whose numbers are in steep decline. Total island fox numbers have fallen from approximately 6,000 individuals to less than 2,000 in the last 4 years. Island fox populations on San Miguel and Santa Cruz islands declined by an estimated 80 to 90 percent, and, based on studies conducted as recently as 1999, the island fox has a 50 percent chance of extinction over the next 5 to 10 years. Long-term island fox population monitoring has not been undertaken on Santa Rosa Island; however, anecdotal observations and limited trapping efforts strongly suggest that a similar decline has occurred for this population as well. The primary causes of the decline of these island fox subspecies are the degradation of habitat by introduced animals such as sheep, goats, rabbits, deer, elk, cattle pigs and horses, increased predation by golden eagles, the rapid spread of canine distemper through the Santa Catalina subspecies, and the lack of regulations to address the threats. Based on imminent threats of a high magnitude, these island fox subspecies have a listing priority number of 3. The island fox, which is smaller than a house cat, is grayish-white and black on the back and dull white on the underbelly. The base of the ears and sides of the neck and limbs are cinnamon colored. Males are larger than females. California and Nevada Yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus)- Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. While the cuckoo is still relatively common east of the crest of the Rocky Mountains, biologists estimate that more than 90 percent of the bird's riparian (streamside) habitat in the West has been lost or degraded. These modifications, and the resulting decline in the distribution and abundance of yellow-billed cuckoos throughout the western states, are believed to be due to conversion to agriculture; grazing; competition from nonnative plants, such as tamarisk; river management, including altered flow and sediment regime; and flood control practices, such as channelization and bank protection. Based on non-imminent threats of a high magnitude, a listing priority number of 6 has been assigned to this distinct population segment of yellow-billed cuckoo. The yellow-billed cuckoo is a secretive robin-sized bird that in the western United States breeds in willow and cottonwood forests along rivers. The bird’s most notable features are a long boldly patterned black and white tail, and an elongated and down-curved bill, which is yellow on the bottom. Its plumage is grayish-brown above and white below. Adults have a narrow, yellow eye ring. The bird eats primarily large insects such as caterpillars and cicadas as well as an occasional small frog or lizard. Top of Page Home Page for News Releases

Contact us: Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Room W-2605, Sacramento, California 95825 Phone (916) 414-6600 ~ FAX (916) 414-6713 ~ email: fw1sacweb@fws.gov The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is a part of the United States Government Department of Interior Privacy, Disclaimer, Copyright, and Technology Requirements Many documents on our web site are published using Adobe's® Portable Document Format (PDF). To display or print these documents, you must use the Acrobat® reader, which you can download free at Acrobat® Reader.

External Affairs Program

Updated List of Candidates for Endangered Species Act Protection Released Today

October 30, 2001

ADDITIONS TO THE LIST OF CANDIDATE SPECIES