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August 2005 Vol U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Human endeavors in the conservation of imperiled species are a fairly recent development, scarcely more than a century old. In that brief span, we have witnessed the emergence of new ideas to describe the diversity of species on this planet and ways August 2005 Vol. XXX No. 1 to conserve them. In recent years, many of these ways refl ect a cooperative con- servation approach character- ized by emphasis on innovation, incentives, local involvement, and on-the-ground action. In this Bulletin, we highlight some of the programs designed to give landowners and other concerned citizens greater opportunities for innovation and involvement in wildlife conservation. These approaches are known by a variety of acronyms, but they fall under a venerable term: partnership. How can we defi ne partner- ship? Think of it as symbiosis— with awareness, creativity, and passion. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks WASHINGTON D.C. OFFICE Washington, D.C. 20240 Matt Hogan, Acting Director Claire Cassel, Chief, Division of Partnerships and Outreach (703) 358-2390 Renne Lohoefner, Assistant Director for Endangered Species Nicole Alt, Acting Chief, Division of Consultation, HCPs, Recovery, and State Grants Elizabeth H. Stevens, Deputy Assistant Director (703) 358-2106 Chris L. Nolin, Chief, Division of Conservation and Classifi cation (703) 358-2105 Linda Purviance, Acting Chief, Offi ce of Program Support (703) 358-2079 http://endangered.fws.gov/ PACIFIC REGION—REGION ONE Eastside Federal Complex, 911 N.E. 11th Ave, Portland OR 97232 California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, David B. Allen, Regional Director (503) 231-6118 American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern http://pacific.fws.gov/ Mariana Islands, Guam and the Pacifi c Trust Territories California/Nevada Operations Steve Thompson, Operations Manager (916) 414-6464 http://pacific.fws.gov/ SOUTHWEST REGION—REGION TWO P.O. Box 1306, Albuquerque, NM 87103 Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas H. Dale Hall, Regional Director (505) 248-6282 http://southwest.fws.gov/ MIDWEST REGION—REGION THREE Federal Bldg., Ft. Snelling, Twin Cities MN 55111 Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Robyn Thorson, Regional Director (612) 715-5301 Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin http://midwest.fws.gov/ SOUTHEAST REGION—REGION FOUR 1875 Century Blvd., Suite 200, Atlanta, GA 30345 Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Georgia, Kentucky, Sam Hamilton, Regional Director (404) 679-7086 Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, http://southeast.fws.gov/ Tennessee, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands NORTHEAST REGION—REGION FIVE 300 Westgate Center Drive, Hadley, MA 01035 Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Marvin Moriarty, Regional Director (413) 253-8300 New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, http://northeast.fws.gov/ Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia MOUNTAIN-PRAIRIE REGION—REGION SIX P.O. Box 25486, Denver Federal Center, Denver CO 80225 Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Ralph O. Morgenweck, Regional Director (303) 236-7920 Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming http://mountain-prairie.fws.gov/ ALASKA REGION—REGION SEVEN 1011 E. Tudor Rd., Anchorage, AK 99503 Alaska Rowan Gould, Regional Director (907) 786-3542 http://alaska.fws.gov/ 2 ENDANGERED SPECIES BULLETIN AUGUST 2005 VOLUME XXX NO. 1 IN THIS ISSUE 4 The Crucians are Coming! 7 How the Scanlans Got their Range Back 10 Banking on Gopher Tortoises Telephone: (703) 358-2390 Contributors Fax: (703) 358-1735 Leopoldo Miranda-Castro E-mail: [email protected] Claudia Lombard David A. Ross Editor Mike Groutt Michael Bender Kris Randall 12 Rare Species are Welcome on Associate Editor Silmarie Padron Arizona Ranch Susan D. Jewell Lee Andrews Robert M. Lee, III Layout Rhonda L. Rimer Dennis & Sackett Design, Inc. William Vogel Steve Stinson 14 Cactus Comeback in the Caribbean On the Cover 16 Meet the Beetles! Headwaters of the Bull Run in Montana, where habitat is being protected for the bull trout and other species. 18 Bull River: A New Wildlife Haven 20 Sneezeweed Conservation Bears Fruit Nate Hall, Avista Corp. Nate Hall, Avista 22 Keeping Family Forests The Endangered Species Bulletin welcomes manuscripts on a wide range of topics related to endangered species. We are particularly interested in news about recovery, habitat conserva- tion plans, and cooperative ventures. Please contact the Editor before preparing a manuscript. We cannot guarantee publication. We also welcome your comments and ideas. Please e-mail them to us at [email protected]. The Fish and Wildlife Service distributes the Bulletin primarily to Federal and State agencies, and offi cial contacts of the Endangered Species Program. It also is reprinted by the University of Michigan as part of its own publication, the Endangered Species UPDATE. To subscribe, write the Endangered Species UPDATE, School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1115; or call (734) 763-3243. Printed with vegetable-based ink on recycled and recyclable paper. If you do not keep back issues, please recycle the paper, pass them along to an interested person, or donate them to a local school or library. ENDANGERED SPECIES BULLETIN AUGUST 2005 VOLUME XXX NO. 1 3 The Crucians are Coming! by Leopoldo Miranda-Castro and Claudia Lombard The Saint Croix ground lizard (Ameiva polops) is a small lizard with adults measuring 1.5–3.5 inches (35–77 millimeters) from snout to vent. It is consid- ered one of the world’s most endangered reptiles, with fewer than 500 individuals living in three tiny islands off the coast of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The lizard was believed to be extinct during the early twentieth century, but it was rediscovered in 1937 on Green Cay and Protestant Cay, two of the three islands. Individuals of this endemic Crucian (meaning a resident of St. Croix) were last seen on the main island of Saint Croix in 1968. The main reasons for their extirpa- that the future of the lizard populations tion are habitat loss, habitat fragmenta- will depend on the fate of the lizards on tion, and the introduction of the Indian these cays (islands). (Left to right) Karen Koltes, Mike mongoose (Herpestes auropunctatus), a All of these offshore islands fall in the Evans, Leopoldo Miranda-Castro, mammalian predator. The lizard is cur- subtropical, dry forest life zone. The lit- Assistant Interior Secretary Lynn Scarlet, Virginia Tippie, and Joel rently restricted to three mongoose-free erature on this species is scant, and there Tutein visit the resort site to observe islands: Green Cay, Protestant Cay, and are no comprehensive works on its biol- improving lizard habitat. Ruth Island. Many of the experts agree ogy. Optimal ground lizard sites in Green Cay are characterized by exposed and canopied areas, leaf or tidal litter, loose substrate, and crab burrows. The most heavily used habitats are beaches and upland forests. Typical vegetation of the forest are the trees Hippomane manci- nella (manchineel), Tabebuia heterophylla (pink trumpet tree), Exostema caribaeum (Caribbean princewood), and the shrubs Eupatorium sinuatum, Lantana involu- crate, and Croton betulinus. Different-sized lizards use different habitats, with smaller individuals found in more exposed habitat and larger A. polops in sites with more cover. Like most Ameivas, this species is diurnal, and it can be seen foraging for invertebrates and occasionally resting and sunning U.S. Park Service photo itself in the open. 4 ENDANGERED SPECIES BULLETIN AUGUST 2005 VOLUME XXX NO. 1 Leopoldo Miranda-Castro Green Cay National Wildlife Refuge about a dozen lizards, mostly from St. Croix ground lizard Green Cay is on the north coast of Protestant Cay. Today, the ground lizard Saint Croix. It was purchased by the Fish population at Ruth Island is estimated at and Wildlife Service on December 15, 30 individuals. 1977 and designated as the Green Cay National Wildlife Refuge. It contains most Protestant Cay of the designated critical habitat for the Protestant Cay is about a 3-acre ground lizard. Outcrops of lava and sedi- (1.2 hectare) island a few hundred yards mentary rocks are prominent geological from the Christianstead Harbor. It is features. The refuge’s main objective is managed by the Hotel on the Cay, which to maintain the natural island ecosystem was built in 1968. Approximately two- to protect the endangered lizard. This thirds is covered by this 55-room hotel. refuge is closed to the public to protect The rest of the habitat has been heavily the delicate critical habitat of the ground modifi ed and severely disturbed by the lizard. introduction of exotic vegetation and landscaping activities. This small island Ruth Island holds the second largest population of Ruth Island is a human-made island St. Croix ground lizards, estimated at on the south coast of Saint Croix. It con- 36 individuals. tains the only population occurring on Although the lizard population at the south coast. This island was created Protestant Cay has been relatively in the mid-1960s as a result of the dredg- stable since the 1960s, landscaping and ing of Krause Lagoon to construct an hotel activities dramatically affect the industrial port. After a couple of decades, lizard’s habitat. The extensive develop- Ruth Island became naturally vegetated. ment, including the modifi cation to the This, together with its mongoose-free understory by constant raking, removal status, prompted biologists to introduce of undergrowth, and other landscaping ENDANGERED SPECIES BULLETIN AUGUST 2005 VOLUME XXX NO. 1 5 This site on the Protestant Cay resort began to be used by St. Croix ground lizards after the resort managers stopped raking away the ground cover needed by this endangered species. Leopoldo Miranda-Castro practices, also have contributed to the to reduce the chance of a catastrophic decline of the species. Future threats event eliminating the species, Ruth Island include the danger of accidental invasion should be considered one of the main of the cays by the mongoose and the liz- targets for the management and restora- ard’s vulnerability to natural catastrophes, tion of the species.
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