News Release

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced the completion of 5-year reviews for 51 species in California, Nevada, and southern Oregon. Of the reviews being announced today, the Service has recommended uplisting the Bay checkerspot butterfly from threatened to endangered. The Service has recommended downlisting the arroyo toad, Modoc sucker, and Santa Cruz cypress from endangered to threatened. The Service has recommended no change in status for the 47 other species reviewed.

These 5-year reviews were undertaken as required by section 4(c)(2)(A) of the Endangered Species Act (Act). This list of completed reviews incorporates species that were noticed for review on July 7, 2005; March 22, 2006; February 14, 2007; March 5, 2008; and March 25, 2009. The 5-year review constitutes a recommendation by the Service. Any change in the listing status will require a separate rulemaking process.

No status change is recommended for Ash Meadows milk-vetch, Callippe silverspot butterfly, Clara Hunt’s milk-vetch, Cushenbury buckwheat, Cushenbury milk-vetch, Cushenbury oxytheca, desert slender salamander, hairy Orcutt grass, Hoffmann’s slender-flowered gilia, Kenwood Marsh checkermallow, Lake County stonecrop, light-footed clapper rail, Loch Lomond coyote thistle, marcescent dudleya, Mexican flannelbush, Mount Hermon June beetle, Munz’s onion, Nevin’s barberry, Otay tarplant, palmate-bracted bird’s-beak, Parish’s daisy, Pismo clarkia, Pitkin Marsh lily, Quino checkerspot butterfly, Railroad Valley springfish, salt marsh bird’s-beak, San Benito evening-primrose, San Bernadino Mountains bladderpod, San Bernardino Merriam’s kangaroo rat, San Clemente sage sparrow, San Clemente loggerhead shrike, San Diego thornmint, Santa Cruz Island dudleya, Santa Cruz Island fringepod, Santa Cruz long-toed salamander, Shasta crayfish, spreading navarretia, spring-loving centaury, Springville clarkia, thread-leaved brodiaea, triple-ribbed milk-vetch, unarmored threespine stickleback, Verity’s dudleya, white sedge, Yadon’s piperia, Zayante band-winged grasshopper.

Lead management responsibilities for species contained in this review area assigned to Fish and Wildlife Offices (FWO) within the Pacific Southwest Region. Information about species reviewed can be found on the following designated Fish and Wildlife Office websites:

Carlsbad FWO (http://www.fws.gov/carlsbad)
Cushenbury buckwheat, Cushenbury milk-vetch, Cushenbury oxytheca, desert slender salamander, light-footed clapper rail, Mexican flannelbush, Munz’s onion, Nevin’s barberry, Otay tarplant, Parish’s daisy, Quino checkerspot butterfly, salt marsh bird’s-beak, San Bernadino Mountains bladderpod, San Bernardino Merriam’s kangaroo rat, San Clemente sage sparrow, San Clemente loggerhead shrike, San Diego thornmint, spreading navarretia, thread-leaved brodiaea, triple-ribbed milk-vetch.

Sacramento FWO (http://www.fws.gov/sacramento)
Bay checkerspot butterfly, Callippe silverspot butterfly, Clara Hunt’s milk-vetch, hairy Orcutt grass, Kenwood Marsh checkermallow, Lake County stonecrop, Loch Lomond coyote thistle, palmate-bracted bird’s-beak, Pitkin Marsh lily, Shasta crayfish, Springville clarkia, white sedge.

Ventura FWO (http://www.fws.gov/ventura)
Arroyo toad, Hoffmann’s slender-flowered gilia, marcescent dudleya, Mount Hermon June beetle, Pismo clarkia, San Benito evening-primrose, Santa Cruz cypress, Santa Cruz Island dudleya, Santa Cruz Island fringepod, Santa Cruz long-toed salamander, unarmored threespine stickleback, Verity’s dudleya, Yadon’s piperia, Zayante band-winged grasshopper.

Nevada FWO (http://www.fws.gov/nevada)
Ash Meadows milk-vetch, Railroad Valley springfish, spring-loving centaury.

Klamath Falls FWO (http://www.fws.gov/klamathfalls)

Modoc sucker.

Copies of the 5-year reviews can be found on the Pacific Southwest Region website at: http://www.fws.gov/cno/es/five_year_review_lists.html.
Under the Act, the Service maintains a list of endangered and threatened wildlife and plant species at 50 CFR 17.11 (for animals) and 17.12 (for plants). The Act also requires that we conduct a review of listed species at least once every 5 years and on the basis of such reviews determine whether or not any species should be removed from the List (delisted), or reclassified from endangered to threatened (downlisted) or from threatened to endangered (uplisted). Any change in federal classification requires a separate rulemaking process distinct from the 5-year review.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals, and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.

More information about the Fish and Wildlife Service operations in the Pacific Southwest Region (California, Nevada, and the Klamath Basin) is available at www.fws.gov/cno.