Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife What causes some species to become rare or extinct? How does management of rare, threatened, & endangered species differ from that of common species? What are mandates/legislation for endangered species conservation?

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife What is recovery planning & does it work? What are conflicts & issues regarding T&E laws and management? Who cares?

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife What do the terms mean? Endangered Threatened Vulnerable Species of (special) concern –Rare? FL –Federally listed –Threatened

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife Factors leading to extinction or endangered status –Natural causes –Overexploitation* –Habitat destruction, alteration, & fragmentation (#1)* –Introduced species* –Chains of extinction* * The Evil Quartet

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife Natural causes of extinction or endangerment

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife Overexploitation (U.S Fish & Wildlife Service)

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife Habitat (#1) –Loss, change, & fragmentation Toxic substances Artificial structures (U.S Fish & Wildlife Service)

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife Introduced (exotic) species (U.S Fish & Wildlife Service)

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife Chains of extinction Species #1Species #2 Species #3 Species #4

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife What makes a species prone to rarity or extinction? –Restricted geographic range –Narrow habitat tolerance & specialized adaptations –Small local population –High genetic vulnerability –Species of importance to humans –Low reproductive potential

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife Restricted geographic range (U.S Fish & Wildlife Service)

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife Narrow habitat tolerance & specialized adaptations –Range of tolerance & niche –“Problem” behaviors (U.S Fish & Wildlife Service)

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife Small local population –Large carnivores (U.S Fish & Wildlife Service)

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife High genetic vulnerability (U.S Fish & Wildlife Service)

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife Species of importance to humans (U.S Fish & Wildlife Service)

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife Low reproductive potential (U.S Fish & Wildlife Service)

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife What makes a species prone to rarity or extinction? –Restricted geographic range –Narrow habitat tolerance & specialized adaptations –Small local population –High genetic vulnerability –Species of importance to humans –Low reproductive potential Are all needed to go extinct or become endangered?

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife Endangered Species Organizations & Legislation State, federal, international, and private listings –Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission –Federal Register Dept. of the Interior –U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (& National Marine Fisheries Service) –Red Data Books International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) –World Conservation Union

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife Endangered Species Legislation Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966 –Fish & wildlife and their habitat/ecosystems protected Lists, regulations, & recovery plans –Research, land & water acquisition, and refuge system 1964 Land & Water Conservation Fund

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife Endangered Species Legislation Endangered Species Conservation Act of 1969 –All vertebrates & some invertebrates –International –Import regulations –Led to Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES; not signed until 1973) Appendix I Appendix II Appendix III

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife Endangered Species Legislation Endangered Species Act of 1973 –Plants Only insect pests excluded –Separate populations & subspecies –Species that are similar in appearance Amended –1978: Federal agencies & “God Squad” –1982: Economics & experiments –1988: Monitoring & public involvement –1999: Safe Harbor –Today? Similar laws at state level

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife Endangered Species Legislation Listing & delisting –Secretary of Interior Criteria –Habitat destruction –Overexploitation –Threatened eradication from disease or predation –Inadequate regulations for protection –Other factors affecting its continued existence Review list every 5 years Emergency powers Candidate species –Category 1 –Category 2 –Category 3

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife Implications of the Endangered Species Act Federal government –All federal agencies States Private Sector

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife Recovery Planning Recovery teams Prepare recovery plans –Obtain all relevant information –Determine gaps in knowledge –Identify factors leading to decline –Set recovery goals (population size & distribution) Delisting can occur when goals are reached

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife Recovery Plans based on MVP’s & PVA’s Red-cockaded woodpeckers –500 breeding adults in at least 250 clans Gray wolves –100 wolves in WI & MI for 5 consecutive years Whooping Crane –1000 birds in the Wood Buffalo breeding population for at least 10 years –2 additional self-sustaining populations of at least 25 breeding pairs

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife Recovery Planning With limited $, which species do we focus on and save? –U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service & NOAA Who will benefit most? –“Warm & fuzzy” & most support –Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission –Triage Approach Difficulty, benefits, & uniqueness

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife Conflicts Private landowners & businesses National interests

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife Incentives for non-federal landowners Safe Harbor Policy

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife Management Proximate vs. ultimate factors –Protection of critical habitat –Improving reproduction & recruitment –Improving survival –Avoiding genetic problems

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife Management Different than non-endangered species? –More intense & artificial Food, cover, water, & space Species v. community management

Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wildlife Who cares?