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| Mexican Wolf. Photo credit: Tom Buckley, USFWS |
2009 Mexican Wolf Population Survey Complete
February 2010
A minimum count of 42 Mexican wolves were found in the wild in Arizona and New Mexico at the end of 2009, according to the annual survey conducted by the Interagency Field Team (IFT) for wolf reintroduction. The survey indicated two pairs met the federal definition of breeding pairs at year’s end, the same number counted in 2008. Surveys are completed in the January following the reporting year. Pups born in the summer must survive to December 31 before they are counted into the total Mexican wolf population. There are 27 wolves in Arizona and 15 wolves in New Mexico.
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| Sonoran Pronghorn. Photo credit: USFWS |
Agencies Announce Preferred Plan for Reestablishing Endangered Sonoran Pronghorn Populations
February 2010
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has drafted an environmental assessment for establishing a second U.S. population of endangered Sonoran pronghorn and identified Kofa National Wildlife Refuge in Yuma County as its preferred reintroduction location. An additional population expansion east of State Route 85 is also being proposed. The Service is proposing to designate any reestablished Sonoran pronghorn populations as an “experimental, nonessential population” – a designation under the Endangered Species Act that allows for greater management flexibility in reintroducing new populations within the species’ historical range. Input into both proposals is being sought through April 5, 2010. For more information on the Sonoran Pronghorn, please visit the Arizona Ecological Services Office website.
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Federal Register Notice
Endangered Species Fact Sheet
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| Jaguar. (Panthera onca). Photo credit: USFWS |
Service Reconsiders Designation of Critical Habitat
and Recovery Planning for Jaguar
January 13, 2009
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), under provisions of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), has reconsidered a prudency determination concerning the designation of critical habitat for the jaguar (Panthera onca) in the Southwest and finds that designation of critical habitat is now prudent. The Service is soliciting jaguar habitat information through March 15 to inform a critical habitat proposal anticipated by January 2011.
Additionally, the Service has re-evaluated its previous determination whether to develop a Service-led recovery plan for the jaguar and has concluded that a recovery plan for jaguars would benefit the species and contribute to their conservation.
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Questions and Answers
Federal Register Notice
Recovery Plan Memo
Service Issues Correction to 90 Day Finding on 192 Species
January 13, 2009
On Wednesday, December 16, 2009, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announced a 90-day finding on 192 species from a petition to list 475 species in the Southwest region of the United States as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. In that notice, there was an incorrect docket number in one place and commenter’s were asked that when they submit hardcopy comments to refer to this docket number in their comments. The correct docket number is [FWS-R2-ES-2008-0130].
475 Species Federal Register Notice
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| Resident Harris' hawk at the Carolina Raptor Center. Credit: Gary Peeples, USFWS |
Hawks Seized in North Carolina Get Plane Ride Home to Texas
December 18, 2009
A pair of Harris’ hawks, unlawfully captured in Texas and brought to North Carolina, are being treated to a plane ride back to their south Texas home today, the culmination of nearly two months of effort on the part of wildlife law enforcement officers, raptor biologists, and Delta Air Lines.
News Release
Protection for Canada Lynx in New Mexico Is Warranted
December 2009
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that changing the boundaries of the Endangered Species Act (Act) listing for the Canada lynx to include the State of New Mexico is warranted; however, the action is precluded at this time by the need to complete other listing actions of a higher priority.
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Federal Register Ruling
The Service Finds 67 Species May Warrant Endangered Species Act Protection, Further Study Planned
December 2009
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announced today the results of a 90-day finding on 192 species from a petition to list 475 species, mostly found in the southwestern United States, as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. For 125 of the 192 species, the Service found that the petition did not present substantial information indicating that listing may be warranted. The Service did find that the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing may be warranted for 67 of the 192 species. Read Frequently Asked Questions.
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Federal Register Notice
Service, New Mexico Game and Fish Partner to Increase Desert Bighorn Sheep Numbers
December 2009
Desert bighorn sheep were placed on the New Mexico state endangered species list in 1980. Since that time, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish has implemented programs to increase the wild population. The Red Rock captive breeding facility has provided a source herd for transplants into the wild since the first transplant in 1979. As a result of these transplants, combined with other management actions, desert bighorn sheep were downlisted to state threatened in 2008. In New Mexico, desert bighorn sheep restoration is supported, in part, by funding from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Wildlife Restoration Program - yet another good example of the federal/state partnership in action.
Bighorn Sheep Capture
Nine Species of Texas Mussels May Warrant Federal Protection
December 2009
Nine species of mussels occurring in the United States – Texas, Louisiana, and New Mexico, and in Mexico, may warrant federal protection as threatened or endangered, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today in the Federal Register, following an initial review of petitions seeking to protect the nine mussels under the Endangered Species Act. The Service will now undertake a more thorough status review of these species. At the conclusion of this review, the Service will determine if the petitioned action is warranted.
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Federal Register Rule
Endangered Species Act Protection for the Black-tailed Prairie Dog
Is Not Warranted
December 2009
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today it has completed a status review of the black-tailed prairie dog and has determined it does not warrant protection as a threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. The Service made this finding after a thorough review of all the available scientific and commercial information regarding the status of the black-tailed prairie dog and the potential impacts to the species.
Black-tailed prairie dogs are typically found east of the continental divide in the states of Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska.
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Questions and Answers
Fish and Wildlife Service to Conduct Status Review of the
Sprague’s Pipit
December 2009
The Sprague’s pipit may warrant federal protection as a threatened or endangered species, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today, following an initial review of a petition seeking to protect the Sprague’s pipit, a prairie songbird, under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
The Service will undertake a more thorough review of the Sprague’s pipit to determine whether to propose adding the species to the federal list of threatened and endangered wildlife and plants.
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