The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking public review and comment on their draft plan for recovering the Zapata bladderpod (Lesquerella thamnophila) a silvery green sprawling perennial with small, bright four- petaled yellow flowers. The deadline for accepting comments is February 18.
Eleven populations of the plant have been found in South Texas although only seven sites currently support the plant in varying numbers. Four populations are located in Starr County; two on Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge land and the other two on private land. In Zapata County, two populations are located on the highway right-of-way between the towns of Zapata and Falcon and another is in a small subdivision near Falcon Lake.
This draft Recovery Plan suggests objectives and actions needed for recovery. The plan proposes downlisting from endangered to threatened once there are 12 self-sustaining, protected populations. Recovery actions designed to achieve these objectives include protecting existing populations and habitat, searching for additional populations, reintroduction if necessary within the historical and geographical range, obtaining information needed to address conservation issues, and providing information and coordinating recovery efforts with federal, state, county, environmental agencies/organizations, and most importantly, the public.
Recovery priorities for threatened or endangered species range from a high of one to a low of 18. The Zapata bladderpod has a priority number of five, indicating that this species has a good potential for recovery.
Copies of the plan are available on the web at .loretta_pressly@fws.gov">.
Threats to the plant include habitat modification through range management practices, oil and gas exploration and increased urbanization and roadway construction. Seven areas composed of approximately 5,000 acres of Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge property and two privately owned sites in Starr County were designated as critical habitat for the plant in January, 2001. Under the Endangered Species Act, critical habitat provides listed species an extra layer of protection from federally funded or permitted activities. A critical habitat designation does not affect private activities on private lands.
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 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses nearly 540 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.
