The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced that it has released a draft Recovery Plan that outlines recovery strategies for several invertebrates that inhabit more than 50 caves in Bexar County. The plan outlines suggested conservation measures for improving and increasing the species? population and habitat. Comments on the draft are sought through July 15.
Recovery plans are prepared for federally threatened or endangered species to provide guidance that will help recover species so that they may no longer require Endangered Species Act protection. Plans set objectives and criteria for recovering species, recommend conservation strategies, identify partners, and include an implementation schedule of recovery actions with suggested timelines and estimated costs. Recovery plans do not obligate the federal government or its partners to implement the plan. Cooperation is fully voluntary.
The nine invertebrates, known only to occur in Bexar County, are the"BACKGROUND: white; mso-highlight: white Helotes mold beetle (Batrisodes venyivi), the Cokendolpher cave harvestman (Texella cokendolpheri), Robber Baron Cave meshweaver (Cicurina baronia), Madla Cave meshweaver (Cicurina madla), Government Canyon Bat Cave meshweaver (Cicurina vespera), Government Canyon Bat Cave spider (Neoleptoneta microps), Braken Bat Cave meshweaver (Cicurina venii), and two beetles (Rhadine exilis and Rhadine infernalis) that do not have common names. They were given Endangered Species Act protection in 2000.
These cave-dwelling species spend their entire lives underground and are found only in karst limestone areas of Bexar County. Karst is a type of terrain formed by calcium carbonate that is slowly dissolved from the limestone bedrock by mildly acidic groundwater and is characterized by features such as caves, sinkholes, fractures, and fissures.
The recovery strategy is to reduce threats by securing an adequate quantity and quality of caves. This includes selecting caves or cave clusters that represent the range and genetic diversity of the species, then preserving these caves, including their drainage basins and surface communities upon which they rely. Maintenance of these cave preserves involves keeping them free from contamination, excessive human visitation, and non-native fire ants by regularly tracking progress and implementing adaptive management to control these and any new threats when necessary. Monitoring the population status and threats are also components of recovery. Because many aspects of the population dynamics and habitat requirements of the species are poorly understood, recovery is also dependant on incorporating research findings into adaptive management actions. Since four of these species are known to occur in only one cave, full recovery may not be possible for these species.
Threats to these species and their habitat include destruction and deterioration of habitat by construction, filling of caves and karst features, and loss of permeable cover. The species are also threatened by contamination from septic effluent, sewer leaks, run-off and pesticides, predation by and competition with non-native fire ants, and vandalism.
The Service uses a priority system for recovery of listed species with a range of 1 to 18, with 1 ranking as highest. The recovery priority number for all Bexar County karst invertebrates is 2c, which means that these species face a high degree of threat with a high potential for recovery and there may be conflict between species recovery and economic development.
To receive a copy of the draft plan, please contact U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 10711 Burnet Road, Suite #200, Austin, Texas, 78758 or call (512-490-0057 ext. 223) or download it from the internet at http://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/ElectronicLibrary_Main.cfm (type "Bexar County? in the document title search field).
To comment on the plan, please mail comments to the above address or submit them electronically to BexarKIrecplan@fws.gov or fax to 512-490-0974.
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For more information about fish and wildlife conservation in the Southwest, visit http://www.fws.gov/southwest/
