US Fish & Wildlife Service Fish and Wildlife Office

Preserving The Biological Diversity Of the , Eastern Sierra &

Spring/Summer Working to Conserve the 2006

Inside this issue:

The Devils Hole pupfish (Cyprinodon pumping. At that time there were only Devils Hole Pupfish 2 diabolis) was listed as endangered in 127 individuals. Although the water 1967. This iridescent blue inch-long level in Devils Hole never recovered to Amphibian 3 fish’s only natural habitat is in the 93 pre-pumping levels however, Conservation degree waters of Devils Hole, which is a populations of pupfish did increase. detached unit of National • Columbia Park. Although the cavern is over 400 In 1997, fall population surveys started Spotted Frog feet deep, the pupfish are believed to to indicate a downward trend for • Amargosa Toad spawn exclusively on a shallow 1,800 unknown reasons. The population from • Relict Leopard square foot rock shelf just under the 1997 to 2004 declined from an average Frog waters surface. They are believed to of 275 individuals to 171 fish and in have been isolated at Devils Hole for at November 2005, to 84 individuals. Surveys conducted on April 2006, least 600 years. A message From The 4 located 38 adult pupfish and surveys of Field Supervisor The Devils Hole pupfish, to our a captive population at Hoover Dam knowledge, has never occurred in large Refuge yielded a total number of 29 numbers. Since population surveys individuals. Both populations were began in 1972, the population has skewed heavily toward males. never exceeded 553 individuals. This short-lived species (~1-year) has a Because of this continued decline, natural high and low cycle, with the Management decisions regarding population in the fall being larger than conservation efforts for the Devils Hole that in the spring due to natural die-off pupfish were elevated to the Regional Directorate level of the Fish and Wildlife during the winter months. Service, National Park Service, and A 1975 Supreme Court decision, in favor Director of the Nevada Department of of protection of the Devils Hole pupfish Wildlife. These decisions have been spawning habitat, reduced groundwater Page 2 US Fish & Wildlife Service Nevada Fish and Wildlife Office

Devil Hole Pupfish (continued) carefully and deliberately discussed and challenging. The pure Devils Hole Nevada debated prior to implementation. Full pupfish did spawn, however, the eggs time staff from several agencies have were not viable and both of the males been devoted to bring together died shortly after spawning. A decision expertise and establish emergency was made to move two additional males techniques to secure additional from Hoover Dam and place them with populations outside of the pupfish’s the females since they appeared gravid. natural habitat to prevent extinction. An additional loss of one of the females was reported in late June prior to being Two propagation facilities have been placed with the males. Biologists have established; one at Shark Reef at not been able to determine the cause of Mandalay Bay and another at Willow Devils Hole location the mortalities; these fish may have Beach National Fish Hatchery (Willow reached the end of their normal life Beach NFH). span. A hybridized Biologists move Devils Hole pupfish is a highly endemic pupfish, a cross species and only occurs naturally in one hybridized pupfish of the Devils very small isolated system in the Mojave from Point of Hole pupfish and Desert. Narrow endemic species like Rocks (right) and the Ash the Devils Hole pupfish are at greatest Meadows male Devils Hole risk of extinction since they do not have Amargosa pupfish from Dev- the flexibility to change locations or pupfish from ils Hole (below) to adapt to changing environments. Point of Rocks Conservation biology principles suggest Shark Reef at Refuge, was used by biologists to that small populations may not be Mandalay Bay establish transportation and capable of genetically maintaining propagation protocols for the pure strain themselves over a long period of time of Devils Hole pupfish. In early May (i.e., may not be able to overcome the 2006, both of the new propagation loss of genetic variability without human facilities received 40 of these hybridized intervention). fish. Successful spawning and rearing of hybridized pupfish at both facilities is Managers are now in a situation that continuing. can be compared to that of the California condor. They will be using a In mid May 2006, two Structured Decision Making Process to pure male Devils Hole determine all future Devils Hole pupfish pupfish were captured and conservation actions. transferred to Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay. Two pure Agencies know that reversing the female Devils Hole pupfish downward trend of Devils Hole pupfish were transferred to that will be difficult. The situation is facility from Hoover Dam compounded by the low numbers, Refuge for breeding skewed sex ratio, short lifespan of the purposes. The pupfish were selected Devils Hole pupfish, limited genetic from the two populations in order to diversity, and the difficulty of rearing maintain genetic diversity. them in captivity. Although the transfer and propagation of the hybridized pupfish has been successful, the transfer of the pure Devils Hole pupfish has been Spring/Summer Page 3

Amphibian Conservation Efforts In Nevada Columbia Spotted Frog In 2003, partners working to conserve In 2004 the partners focused on habitat the northeast and central Nevada restoration and pond enhancement. A populations of Columbia spotted frog total of 22 new open water ponds in signed a Conservation Agreement and northwest Nye County were built to Strategy for the spotted frog. These enhance vital habitat to better withstand partners include the Bureau of Land drought conditions. A variety of designs Management (BLM), Nevada were used to create breeding, rearing, Department of Wildlife (NDOW), Nevada and over wintering habitat. Natural Heritage Program, Service (Service), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), In March 2006, Chad Mellison, Service Columbia Spotted Frog Nye County, and the University of Biologist, and the Central Nevada (Rana luteiventris) a Spotted Frog Technical Team were Nevada Cooperative Extension (UNR). candidate for listing under A conservation agreement and strategy presented with the USFS’s 2005 Intermountain Region Rise to the Future the Endangered species Act is a tool that identifies actions that will be taken to reduce threats to a species Award for their work in the Collaborative Aquatic Resources Stewardship and will help a species recover. Category.

Amargosa Toad The Amargosa toad is found in southern avoided by local conservation efforts. A Nye County along a 10-mile section of working group including, BLM, the the Amargosa River. This biologically Service, NDOW, Nye County, The Nature unique area supports a number of rare Conservancy, Amargosa Conservancy, species and plants in addition to the Nevada Natural Heritage Program, toad. Beatty Habitat Committee, and the Audubon Society have tagged and In 2000, an Amargosa Toad released more than 4,800 toads have Amargosa Toad Conservation Agreement and a Beatty in the . The natural flow of Habitat Project was signed to protect the (Bufo nelsoni) springs has also been restored and non- toad and its habitat and other species in native species are being removed. the Beatty Area. Listing of the Amargosa toad was

Relict Leopard Frog The relict leopard frog considered extinct are also augmenting existing in the 1950s, was rediscovered in 1991 populations with captive-reared frogs. at seven sites in three small areas in Efforts are underway now to establish Nevada and Arizona. refugia at the Service’s Willow Beach A Conservation Team including the National Fish Hatchery and various Service, NPS, BLM, BOR, EPA, Clark springs in Nevada and Arizona. County, NDOW, Arizona Game and Fish, These partners signed a Conservation UNR at , UNR at Reno, and the Relict Leopard Frog Agreement and Strategy for the relict Southern Nevada Water Authority , are (Rana onca) a candidate leopard frog in 2005 to enhance existing looking for suitable natural areas to habitat; develop new aquatic habitat; for listing under the establish new populations that provide increase the number of individuals and Endangered species Act sufficient perennial surface water and populations; and monitor and conduct are free of introduced predators. They research. Preserving The Biological Diversity Of the Great Basin, Eastern Sierra & Mojave Desert

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A Message From The Field Supervisor

We are fortunate to have a number of partnerships in Nevada that have helped us to conserve Nevada amphibian species. Three of those conservation partnerships are highlighted in this issue. We are however, at a critical time and face and extremely challenging situation with the Devils Hole Pupfish. The situation of the pupfish can be compared to the California condor, North Carolina red wolf and the Florida panther and we have some difficult decisions facing us as we try and reverse its decline. I find myself in a situation that any manager devoting a life-time of conservation and protection of America’s wildlife hopes they will never be faced with. Reversing the decline of the Devils Hole pupfish is difficult and the situation is compounded by the low numbers, short lifespan, and the difficulty of rearing them in captivity. However, I feel fortunate to be working with the scientists, the National Park Service, and the Nevada Department of Wildlife who share the responsibility and have devoted staff, time, and critical resources to help reverse the decline of this very important species. I am hoping the information provided in this issue will update you on the status of the Devils Hole pupfish and the conservation activities underway. Sincerely,

Robert D. Williams