U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Conducts Five-year Status Reviews of 21 Florida Species and One North Carolina Plant

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 26, 2007

Contacts:
Tom Mackenzie, 404/679-7291

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans to conduct five-year status reviews of 21 threatened and endangered species occurring in Florida including: 4 mammals, 1 bird, 1 snake, 1 butterfly, 1 shrimp, and 13 plants; and one endangered plant occurring in North Carolina.

These five-year reviews are conducted to ensure that listing classifications under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) are accurate. Any interested party is invited to provide information and comments pertaining to these species. Written comments and information related to these five-year reviews must be received on or before
June 25, 2007.

This notice announces our active review of the following species listed as endangered: rice rat (mammal), Florida salt marsh vole (mammal), Key Largo woodrat (mammal), Florida grasshopper sparrow (bird), Schaus swallowtail butterfly (insect), short-leaved rosemary (plant), Rugel’s pawpaw (plant), longspurred mint (plant), Lakela’s mint (plant), Telephus spurge (plant), Highlands scrub hypericum (plant), scrub lupine (plant), Cooley’s meadowrue (plant), and Carter’s mustard (plant). This notice also covers species that are listed as threatened: Southeastern beach mouse (mammal), Atlantic salt marsh snake (reptile), Squirrel Chimney Cave shrimp (crustacean), Florida bonamia (plant), pigeon wings (plant), scrub buckwheat (plant), papery whitlow-wort (plant), and Miccosukee gooseberry (plant).

Specifically, this review seeks information on: (1) species biology, including population trends, distribution, abundance, demographics, and genetics; (2) habitat conditions, including amount, distribution, and suitability; (3) conservation measures that have been implemented; (4) threat status and trends; and (5) other new information, data, or corrections, including taxonomic or nomenclatural changes; identification of erroneous information contained in the ESA list, and improved analytical methods. Comments and materials received will be available for public inspection by appointment.

In addition to reviewing the classification of these species, a five-year review presents an opportunity to track the species’ recovery progress. It may benefit species by providing valuable information to guide future conservation efforts. Information gathered during a review can assist in making funding decisions, conducting interagency consultations, making permitting decisions, and determining whether to update recovery plans, and other actions under the ESA.

The Federal Register notice announcing the status review of these 22 federally listed species is available on-line at http://www.fws.gov/southeast/5yearReviews/

Written comments and information on the Southeastern beach mouse, Florida salt marsh vole, Atlantic salt marsh snake, Squirrel Chimney Cave shrimp, longspurred mint, scrub lupine, Florida bonamia, scrub buckwheat, and Rugel’s pawpaw may be e-mailed to Sandy_MacPherson@fws.gov, faxed to 904-232-2404, or sent via regular mail to Sandy MacPherson, Jacksonville Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 6620 Southpoint Drive South, Suite 310, Jacksonville, Florida, 32216.

Written comments and information on the to Key Largo woodrat, rice rat, Florida grasshopper sparrow, Schaus swallowtail butterfly, pigeon wings, Lakela’s mint, Carter’s mustard, Highlands scrub hypericum, short-leaved rosemary, and papery whitlow-wort may be emailed to Cindy_Schulz@fws.gov, faxed to 772-562-4288, or sent via regular mail to Cindy Schulz, South Florida Ecological Services Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1339 20th Street, Vero Beach, Florida, 32960.

Written comments and information on the Telephus spurge and Miccosukee gooseberry may be e-mailed to Janet_Mizzi@fws.gov, faxed to 850-763-2177, or sent via regular mail to Janet Mizzi, Panama City Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1601 Balboa Avenue, Panama City, Florida, 32405.

Written comments and information on the Cooley’s meadowrue may be emailed to Pete_Benjamin@fws.gov, faxed to 919-856-4520, or sent via regular mail to Pete Benjamin, Raleigh Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 551-F Pylon Drive, Raleigh, North Carolina 27636.

Information received in response to this notice of review will be available for public inspection by appointment, during normal business hours, at the same addresses.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses 545 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands, and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices, and 81 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.