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January-February 2002 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service The writer Wallace Stegner, who served as Assistant Secre­ tary of the Interior in the Kennedy Administration, once called national parks “the best idea we ever had. Absolutely American, abso­ lutely democratic, they reflect January/February 2002 Vol. XXVII No. 1 us at our best....” Since Yellow- stone National Park was established in 1872, the Na­ tional Park System has grown to encompass 83 million acres (34 million hectares) in 385 areas within 49 States, the District of Columbia, Ameri­ can Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Saipan, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Its mission is “to preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural re- sources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.” Conserving endangered species is an important part of that mission. U.S.U.S. FishFish && WWildlifildlifee SerServicevice Corel Corp. photo WASHINGTON D.C. OFFICE Washington, D.C. 20240 Marshall Jones, Acting Director Ren Lohoefener, Chief, Division of Consultation, HCPs, and Recovery (703)358-2106 Gary Frazer, Assistant Director for Endangered Species Chris L. Nolin, Chief, Division of Conservation and Classification (703)358-2105 Kathy Walker, Chief, Office of Program Support (703)358-2079 REGION ONE Eastside Federal Complex, 911 N.E. 11th Ave, Portland OR 97232 California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Anne Badgley, Regional Director (503)231-6118 Washington, American Samoa, Commonwealth http://pacific.fws.gov/ of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam and the Pacific Trust Territories REGION TWO P.O. Box 1306, Albuquerque, NM 87103 Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas H. Dale Hall, Acting Regional Director (505)248-6282 http://southwest.fws.gov/ REGION THREE Federal Bldg., Ft. Snelling, Twin Cities MN 55111 Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, William Hartwig, Regional Director (612)715-5301 Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin http://midwest.fws.gov/ 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 REGION FIVE 300 Westgate Center Drive, Hadley, MA 01035 Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Mamie Parker, Acting Regional Director (413)253-8300 Massachusetts, New Hampshire, http://northeast.fws.gov/ New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia 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://www.r6.fws.gov/ REGION SEVEN 1011 E. Tudor Rd., Anchorage, AK 99503 Alaska Dave Allen, Regional Director (907)786-3542 http://alaska.fws.gov/ IN THIS ISSUE 4 Endangered Species and the National Park Service 8 Endemic Amphipods in our Nation’s Capital Telephone: (703)358-2390 Contributors 10 Endangered Species in Fax: (703)358-1735 Loyal A. Mehrhoff Midwestern Parks Internet: Peter A. Dratch http://endangered.fws.gov Diane Pavek Dan Licht Editor Terry D. DeBruyn Michael Bender Laura Hudson Deborah Jansen 12 Alaska: A Great Life for Wildlife Associate Editor Tom Logan Susan D. Jewell Jonathan Bayless Chris Lea Editorial assistance provided by Shanda H. King Ann Haas Darrell Echols 14 Diverse Challenges in the LaRee Brosseau Intermountain Region Art Director Tyler Sykes David Yeargin Mark Clough Susan Jewell 16 Improving Prospects for the Florida Panther On the Cover A visitor to Grand Canyon National Park thrills to the sight of a California 18 Endangered Species in Pacific and condor. This rare bird is being reintroduced into Western Parks the wild just north of the park. Photo by Elaine Leslie/NPS Opposite page: 20 Restoring an Atlantic Barrier Island Rocky Mountain National Endemic Park, Colorado 22 Turtle Patrol on Padre Island 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. Departments The Fish and Wildlife Service distributes the Bulletin primarily to Federal and State agencies, and official 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 24 Regional News and the Endangered Species UPDATE, School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Recovery Updates Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1115; or call (734) 763-3243. 26 Listing Acts 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. 32 Box Score Endangered Species and by Loyal A. Mehrhoff and Peter A. Dratch the National Park Service Like all federal agencies, the National Park Service is required by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to pro- tect endangered and threatened species, and to avoid any actions that might jeopardize their survival or ad- versely modify their critical habitats. In addition, the The National Park System (in red) National Park Service recognizes that the ESA goes represents ecosystems throughout further by requiring federal agencies to actively pro- the United States. For details, visit its website at www.nps.gov mote the conservation of listed species. The National Park Service extends these responsibilities to protecting state-listed as well as federal candidate species. Currently, we know of 398 federally technical and fiscal challenges. The listed species of plants and animals that issues are diverse, ranging from remov- occur on lands managed by the National ing nonnative zebra mussels (Dreissena Park Service. This represents about 30 polymorpha) from a river to reestablish- percent of the 1,244 federally listed ing populations of extirpated bird species within the United States and its species such as the California condor territories (as of June 1, 2001). Plants (Gymnogyps californianus). In the year comprise the greatest number of listed 2000, the National Park Service spent species in areas managed by the Na- $13.8 million on the recovery of feder- tional Park Service, but there are a large ally listed species, compared to $3.3 number of mammals and birds as well million in 1993. These figures show that (Table 1 on page 6). These species are recovering listed species has become an found throughout the National Park important activity in the National Park System from the Virgin Islands to Maine, System*, but there is still much to do. Alaska, and American Samoa. In all, over How does the National Park Service 187 parks provide habitat for at least one protect and restore endangered species? listed species. Parks in Hawaii, Califor- First, we rely on highly capable park nia, and Florida contain the greatest personnel who work hard to conserve number of listed species, although parks rare animals and plants and to enforce in other biodiversity hot spots, such as laws for their protection. It is at the the southern Appalachian Mountains, individual park unit level that much of also have significant numbers (Table 2 the work is accomplished. Second, a on page 6). regional and national level organization Recovery plans approved by the U.S. prepares policies, administers programs, Fish and Wildlife Service and National and provides expertise to committed Marine Fisheries Service recommend thousands of tasks for the National Park *The areas managed by the National Park (Opposite page) California condor Service to undertake. Implementing Service include National Parks, National Preserves, Photo by Scott Frier/Nikon, Inc. National Recreation Areas, National Seashores, these tasks continues to pose enormous National Historic Parks, and many others. 4 ENDANGERED SPECIES BULLETIN JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2002 VOLUME XXVII NO. 1 ENDANGERED SPECIES BULLETIN JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2002 VOLUME XXVII NO. 1 5 Park Service employees. Some of the management, and inventory and moni­ conservation projects underway within toring. Currently, we are focusing our the National Park System are described efforts in six key areas: in the following articles. 1. Information. We will soon Beginning in 2000, Congress funded complete an endangered species the first year of a 5-year initiative called database that tracks the status of listed the Natural Resource Challenge. The species in the National Park System. This Challenge seeks to protect native and database, developed in cooperation with endangered species, aggressively control nonnative species, accelerate natural Taxonomic Group Species resource inventories, and expand monitoring activities. The Biological Plants 193 Resource Management Division was formed in Fort Collins, Colorado, as part Nonnative zebra mussels attach to Invertebrates 43 of this effort. Our Endangered Species native mussels and can cause their death. Program, one part of the Division, is Fish 40 USFWS photo charged with administering the Park Service’s nationwide endangered species Amphibians 4 effort, reviewing policies, and providing One Threat, Many scientific expertise to parks and senior Reptiles 19 Names management. To be successful, our Many words have been used program must directly benefit the units
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