Revised Plant Notice Eight Foreign Mammals Proposed for Listing As
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November 1985 Vol. X No. 11 Department of interior. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Technical Bulletin Endangered Species Program, Washington, D.C. 20240 1,623 taxa in Category 2. It is likely Revised Plant Notice that some will be found to be not in The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) need of Endangered Species Act pro- has published an updated and revised tection, while others could be deter- notice identifying the vascular plant taxa mined in greater peril of extinction native to the United States that are being than some taxa in Category 1. reviewed for possible addition to the Those taxa in Categories 1 and 2 are Federal List of Endangered and Threat- considered by the FWS as candidates ened Plants (F.R. 9/30/85). A major pur- forfuturelisting. Once again, Hawaii has pose of the notice is to solicit additional the largest number of candidate plants conaments on the status of these plants (747), followed by California (648), Flor- and the threats they face in order to ida (176), and Texas (124). Categories 1 assist in determining whether or not to and 2 also contain some taxa whose sta- propose listing them under the Endan- tus in the recent past is known, but that gered Species Act. may already be extinct in the wild. The identified plants are placed into Category 3 is made up of 1,414 taxa one of three categories: that once were being considered for Category 1 comprises those plants listing as Endangered or Threatened, for which the FWS has substantial but that are no longer under consid- data on biological vulnerability and eration. There are three subcatego- threats to support a proposal to list ries: 3A—60 taxa for which the FWS them as Endangered or Threatened. has persuasive evidence of extinc- Currently, there are 894 taxa in this tion; 3B—310 taxa that, on the basis category. Development and publica- of current taxonomic understanding, tion of proposed listing rules on these do not meet the Endangered Species plants are anticipated, but, because Act's definition of a "species"; and of the large number, could take years. 3C—the 1,044 taxa that have been Category 2 contains taxa for which found to be widespread and/or not the available information indicates subject to any identifiable threat. that proposing to list them as Endan- Until they are listed as Endangered or gered or Threatened is possibly Threatened, none of the plant candi- appropriate, but for which conclusive dates receive any kind of legal protec- data on biological vulnerability and tion; however, it is the policy of the FWS The fringed prairie orchid fPlatanthera threats sufficient to prepare listing to advise other agencies of these candi- leucophaea), which faces threats from proposals are not currently known to dates when inquiries are made on spe- developers and collectors, is one of the FWS. Further study will be neces- (continued on page 8) 2,517 plant taxa considered candidates sary to ascertain the status of the for listing. Eight Foreign Mammals Proposed for Listing as Endangered Eight mammals from various parts of min and kill it whenever present. food is considered the main threat the world have been proposed by the Consequently, it now is restricted to to the species' survival. Hutias are FWS for listing as Endangered underthe a relatively small part of south- driven into the water where they are U.S. Endangered Species Act central Pakistan, although a few slow and clumsy, and thus are easily (10/25/85). All occupy very restricted may survive in adjacent sections of captured. ranges, and are jeopardized by habitat Iran. Biologists estimate that fewer little earth hutia (C. sanfelipensis)— disruption and/or direct killing by than 200 remain. Similar in appearance to the large- humans. Unless they receive adequate large-eared hutia (Capromys eared hutia, the little earth hutia also protection, the following foreign mam- aur/fL/sj—Relatively large for a is threatened by take for human mals could become extinct: rodent, measuring approximately consumption. It is found in an area • Baluchistan bear {Ursus thibetanus 30 centimeters (12 inches) in body of low, dense vegetation on Cayo gedrosianus)—A small subspecies length, this animal has long, harsh Juan Garcia off southwestern Cuba, of the Asiatic black bear, this animal brown fur. It is arboreal, and occurs and may also occur on nearby Cayo is generally reddish brown in color. only in a mangrove swamp on Cayo Real. This species is considered Originally, it occurred throughout Fragoso, an island off north-central very rare, and no individuals were the mountainous parts of Pakistan, Cuba. The large-eared hutia was found on a 1980 expedition to Cayo but most of its forest habitat has not even known to science until Juan Garcia. been cut down for agriculture. 1970, and it is thought to be rare. dwarf hutia (C. nanaj—Somewhat Farmers that have moved into these Killing of this animal by fishermen smaller than the above rodents, the cleared areas regard the bear as ver- and others who visit the island for (continued on page 6) ENDANGERED SPECIES TECHNICAL BULLETIN Vol. X No. 11 (1985) 1 worth of habitat that will become part of the Coachella Valley Preserve (CVP). The management agreement for the CVP is nearing completion and should be signed in the near future. Field work on lizard population levels is proceed- ing, and the first year's data indicate healthy populations. A recently completed rangewide trap- ping survey (August 1984-August 1985) for the Morro Bay kangaroo rat (Dipodo- mys heermanni morroensis) indicated that only one active population site exists: the Bayview area of Los Osos, California. After more than 4,800 trap- nights, the survey confirmed the species at only one other site when an adult male was captured near Buckskin Drive. The Buckskin site lies approximately 1 Vs to 2 miles east of the other. The two sites are separated by several blocks of dense Endangered Species Program regional permit for the Coachella Valley fringe- housing, a shopping center, and many staffers have reported the following toed Wzard (Uma inornata) was sent out small business developments. activities for the month of October: recently by the Fish and Wildlife Service Results of this survey further corrobo- (FWS) for review, and a public hearing to rate that the Bayview area supports the Region 1—The draft Environmental solicit comments on the document was largest and perhaps only remaining Impact Statement for the issuance of an held in Palm Springs, California. In mid- population of the Morro Bay kangaroo Endangered Species Act Section 10(a) August, the FWS acquired $4.7 million rat within its historical range. The single adult male captured at Buckskin is thought to be a lone individual moving U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service James Johnson, Endangered Species through remnant habitat; however, it is Washington, D.C. 20240 Specialist. still possible that small, transient popu- F. Eugene Hester, Acting Director Region 3, Federal BIdg., Fort Snelling, Twin lations exist in other remnant areas. (202-343-4717) Cities, MN 55111 (612-725-3500): Har- The number of known peregrine fal- Rolf L. Wallenstrom vey Nelson, Regional Director; John S. Associate Director and Popowski, Assistant Regional Director, con (Faico peregrinus) nesting pairs in Endangered Species Program Manager James M. Engel, Endangered Species California increased from 64 in 1984 to (202)-343-4646) Specialist. 77 in 1985. Sixty-two of these pairs pro- John L. Spinks, Chief, duced 106 young (29 captive-reared Region 4, Richard B. Russell Federal BIdg., Office of Endangered Species 75 Spring St., S.W., Atlanta GA 30303 nestlings; 77 fledged naturally). Twenty (703-235-2771) (404-221-3583): James W. Pulliam, additional falcons were released from Thomas J. Parisot, Chief, Regional Director-, John I. Christian, hack sites, and two fledged that were Federal Wildlife Permit Office Assistant Regional Director: Marshall cross-fostered to prairie falcons (FaIco (703-235-1937) P. Jones, Endangered Species Spe- mexicanus). A total of 128 peregrine fal- Clark R. Bavin, Chief, cialist. Division of Law Enforcement cons were fledged this year in Califor- (202-343-9242) Region 5, One Gateway Center, Suite 700, nia, and this population continues to Newton Corner, MA 02158 (617-965- recover, although pesticide-induced TECHNICAL BULLETIN Staff 5100): Howard Larsen, Regional Direc- eggshell thinning remains a chronic Michael Bender, Editor tor-, Stephen W. Parry, Assistant Re- problem. Denise Henne, Assistant Editor gional Director-, Paul Nickerson, En- * * * (703-235-2407) dangered Species Specialist. The FWS has entered into a Memoran- Regional Offices dum of Understanding (MOU) with the Region 6, P.O. Box 25486, Denver Federal Los Angeles Department of Airports and Region 1, Lloyd 500 BIdg., Suite 1692, 500 Center, Denver, CO 80225 (303-236- the California Department of Fish and N.E. H/lultnomah St., Portland, OR 7920): Galen Buterbaugh, Regional Di- 97232 (503-231-61 18): Richard J. rector-, John D. Green, Assistant Re- Game to protect and manage a preserve Myshak, Regional Director; William F. gional Director-, Barry S. Mulder, En- for the El Segundo blue butterfly ffup/?/- Shake, Assistant Regional Director; dangered Species Specialist. lotes battoides aiiyni) at the remnant Wayne S. White, Endangered Species sand dunes on the west end of the Los Region 7, 1011 E. Tudor Rd., Anchorage, Specialist. AK 99503 (907-786-3542): Robert E. Angeles International Airport. An exist- Region 2, P.O. Box 1306, Albuquerque, NM Gilmore, Regional Director-, Jon Nel- ing 80-acre parcel inhabited by the El 87103 (505-766-2321): Michael J. son, Assistant Regional Director-, Segundo blue, plus 35 to 40 adjacent Spear, Regional Director; Conrad A.