40 years of the Endangered Species Act Della Garelle, DVM Director of Field Conservation Director of Field Conservation Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Digest of Federal Resource Laws of Interest to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Endangered Species Act of 1973: The ESA's primary goal is to prevent the extinction of imperiled plant and animals, and secondly, to recover and maintain those populations by removing or lessening threats to their survival. fws.gov/laws/lawsdigest/esact.html

The Secretary of Defense is authorized to specify exemptions from the Act for reasons of national security. The 1978 amendments also oblige the Secretary to consider the economic impact of designating critical habitat.

Critics of the ESA contend it is a failure because only 1% of the species under its protection have recovered and been delisted. They fail to explain how many species should have recovered by now. 80 %of species have not yet reached their expected recovery year. To test the success of the ESA, a study compared the actual recovery rate of 110 species with the projected recovery rate in their federal recovery plans. It found that the Endangered Species Act has a remarkably successful recovery rate: 90 percent of species are recovering at the rate specified by their federal recovery plan.

2006 analysis of all federally protected species in the Northeast: 93 percent were stabilized or improving since being put on the endangered species list 82 percent were on pace to meet recovery goals. Full Report: esasuccess.org/report_2012.html

Black-Footed Ferret and the Endangered Species Act

Partners In Recovery Zoological Organizations Zoological Organizations National Zoo-Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute National Zoo-Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute Louisville Zoo Louisville Zoo Toronto Zoo Toronto Zoo Phoenix Zoo Phoenix Zoo Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Lincoln Park Zoo Lincoln Park Zoo Association of Zoos & Aquariums Association of Zoos & Aquariums BFF Display Zoos BFF Display Zoos Government Agencies Government Agencies US Fish & Wildlife Service US Fish & Wildlife Service US Forest Service US Forest Service National Park Service National Park Service Bureau of Land Management Bureau of Land Management US Bureau of Indian Affairs US Bureau of Indian Affairs USDA/APHIS USDA/APHIS City of Fort Collins City of Fort Collins USGS USGS CDC CDC Parks Canada Parks Canada Private Agencies Private Agencies Conservation Breeding Specialist Group Defenders of Wildlife The Nature Conservancy National Fish & Wildlife Foundation National Wildlife Federation Turner Endangered Species Fund Prairie Wildlife Research State Wildlife Agencies State Wildlife Agencies Wyoming Game & Fish Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks Arizona Game & Fish Colorado Division of Wildlife Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Texas Parks & Wildlife Oklahoma Dept of Wildlife Cons

A Second Chance Population discovered in 1981 Population discovered in 1981 Population peaked to 129 ferrets in 1984 Population peaked to 129 ferrets in 1984 Considered extinct in late 1970s

On The Brink of Extinction ferrets removed from wild Started captive breeding program in WY ferrets declined ferrets declined Sylvatic plague (Yersinia pestis) Sylvatic plague (Yersinia pestis) Prairie dog mortality Prairie dog mortality Ferret mortality Ferret mortality Canine distemper virus Canine distemper virus Ferret mortality Ferret mortality

Black-footed Ferret Recovery Plan Emphasized natural breeding Emphasized natural breeding Multi-institutional propagation program Multi-institutional propagation program Establishment of multiple reintroduction sites Establishment of multiple reintroduction sites Development of assisted reproductive techniques Development of assisted reproductive techniques Conservation Breeding Specialist Group IUCN-World Conservation Union

Black-footed Ferret Species Survival Plan® USFWS National BfFerret Conservation Center Nat. Zoo-SCBI, VA Louisville Zoo, KY Phoenix Zoo, AZ Toronto Zoo, Ontario Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Population Management Genetic Diversity Genetic Diversity Kit Production Kit Production Supply reintroduction sites Supply reintroduction sites Education & Outreach Education & Outreach

Genome Resource Bank (GRB) ‘Founder’ resurrection ‘Founder’ resurrection Genetically valuable males Genetically valuable males Safeguard a species Safeguard a species Dr. JoGayle Howard Dr. JoGayle Howard

Assisted Reproductive Techniques Domestic ferrets Domestic ferrets 70% pregnancy 70% pregnancy

Assisted Reproductive Techniques Laparoscopic surgical artificial insemination Laparoscopic surgical artificial insemination

Assisted Reproductive Techniques Nat Zoo-SCBI Nat Zoo-SCBI Females selected Females selected for AI annually

Kit Production Gestation= 42 days Gestation= 42 days Average litter size= 3.5 Average litter size= 3.5

Kit Production > 7500 kits born in SSP!

Reintroduction

Preparation For Release Pre-conditioning pens Pre-conditioning pens Exposure to natural burrow system Live prairie dogs Minimum 30 days

Home On The Range 1991-present 1991-present >2800 released >2800 released in the wild (Fall) in the wild (Fall)

Reintroduction Historical range Reintroduction site = = 20 reintroduction sites 20 reintroduction sites Wyoming Montana South Dakota (Colorado) New Mexico Kansas Kansas Mexico Mexico Utah Utah Arizona Arizona Canada Canada

The Road Ahead SSP captive breeding, AI, GRB SSP captive breeding, AI, GRB Find new reintroduction sites: Colorado! Find new reintroduction sites: Colorado! Oral prairie dog plague vaccine (OPV) Oral prairie dog plague vaccine (OPV) Manage existing sites Manage existing sites Landowner Landownerincentives

Disease Monitoring Life History Assisted Reproduction Integrated Conservation Program Landowner Incentives Reintroduction Husbandry & Nutrition Captive Breeding & Genetic Diversity Vaccine Research Education And Outreach You !

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