After a thorough review of the best scientific data, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has determined that the Huachuca springsnail does not face the threat of extinction now or in the foreseeable future, and therefore does not warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). A recently completed Species Status Assessment for the springsnail is also available today.
The Huachuca springsnail occurs in southern Arizona’s Cochise and Santa Cruz counties and northern Sonora, Mexico. The one-tenth-inch snail is most commonly found in springs, where clear water emerges from the ground as a flowing stream. There they feed primarily on periphyton – a complex mixture of algae, decaying material and bacteria.
The Huachuca springsnail continues to occupy a large portion of its widespread historical range, and is found in 23 of 29 spring sites surveyed since 2004. A substantial portion of the spring habitat throughout the species’ current range is also relatively intact, with 25 of 29 assessed sites found to provide either high or medium quality habitat. The majority of springs occupied by the Huachuca springsnail are on federal lands where there are existing protections in place by the Department of Defense’s Fort Huachuca and the U.S. Forest Service.
Additionally, a draft Habitat Conservation Plan already in place for the San Rafael Ranch will manage grazing in a pasture that includes one of the Huachuca springsnail locations on private land, helping to ensure a healthy population.
Today’s determination that ESA protection for the Huachuca springsnail is not warranted is included in a national batch of findings that includes eight other species. Additional information and the full Species Status Assessment are available at: https://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/arizona/Huachuca_Snail.htm.
