March 1988 Vol. XIII No. 3

Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Technical Bulletin Service, Washington, D.C. 20204

Help Is On the Way for Rare Fishes of the Upper Colorado River Basin

Sharon Rose and John Hamill Denver Regional Office

On January 21-22, 1988, the Governors of Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah joined Secretary of the Interior Model and the Administrator of the Western Area Power Administration in signing a cooperative agreement to implement a recovery pro- gram for rare and endangered species of fish in the Upper Colorado River Basin. The recovery program is a milestone effort that coordinates Federal, State, and private actions to conserve the fish in a manner compatible with States' water rights allocation systems and the various interstate compacts that guide water al- location, development, and management in the Upper Colorado River Basin. The Colorado River is over 1,400 miles long, passes through two countries, and has a drainage basin of 242,000 square miles in the United States, yet it provides less water per square mile in its basin than any other major river system in the United States. Demands on this limited resource are high. The Colorado River serves 15 million people by supplying water for irrigation, hydroelectric power generation, industrial and municipal pur- poses, recreation, and fish and wildlife enhancement. The headwater streams of the Upper Colorado River originate in the Rocky and Uinta Mountains. Downstream, the main- stem river historically was characterized by silty, turbulent flows with large varia- tions in annual discharge. The native warmwater fishes adapted to this de- manding environment; however, to meet 'J. man's ever increasing demands for water, impoundments were constructed that radi- cally changed the ecological characteris- tics of the river. Some native warmwater species en- demic to the Colorado River Basin, includ- ing the Colorado squawfish (Ptycho- cheilus lucius), humpback chub (Gila cypha), bonytail chub (Gila elegans), and razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus), Upper Cross Mountain Canyon on the Yampa River historically was habitat for the Colorado were unable to adjust to the modifications squawfish, humpback chub, razorback sucker, and bonytail chub. The first three can still be of their environment. Changes in stream- found in this stretch, but the bonytail's presence is unknown because the species' numbers flow and water temperature, direct loss of are so low. This section of the Yampa River may be a suitable site for restocking of these (continued on page 6) rare native fishes.

ENDANGERED SPECIES TECHNICAL BULLETIN Vol. XIII No. 3 (1988) 1 Region 4—A Conservation Agreement has been established between the Fish and Wildlife Service and The Nature Con- servancy to protect one of the two remain- ing populations of the Endangered Ala- bama leather flower {Clematis socialis). This population is located on The Conser- vancy's Virgin's Bower Preserve in St. Clair County, Alabama. Under the terms of the agreement, the Service will assume management responsibility for the site.

In the past, up to 50,000 Indiana bats {Myotis sodalis) hibernated at Long's Cave in Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky. At present, however, only 2,500 to 7,000 bats remain. One reason for this serious decline is the presence of Endangered species regional staff Iowa has purchased a 13-acre site near a poorly designed gate, located at the members have reported the following St. Olaf that contains habitat for the larg- entrance, that restricts air flow and bat news: est known population of the northern wild movement into the cave. The National Region 3—With the use of a Federal monkshood {Aconitum noveboracense). Park Service plans to replace the gate grant authorized under Section 6 of the The site, with over 10,000 monkshoods, with a new angle-iron bat gate in FY Endangered Species Act, the State of will be fenced this summer. 1988 or FY 1989. Biologists from the Service's Asheville, North Carolina, Field U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service James C. Gritman, Regional Director; Office have been gathering baseline data Washington, D.C. 20240 John S. Popowski, Assistant Regional on temperature and humidity levels in the Frank Dunkle, Director Director; James M. Engel, Endangered cave. The information, which is being col- (202-343-4717) Species Specialist. Ronald E. Lambertson lected before and after gate replacement, Assistant Director for Fish Region 4, Richard 8. Russell Federal BIdg., will help the Service to better predict the and Wildiife Enhancement 75 Spring St., S.W. Atlanta, GA 30303 results of future modifications to the en- (202-343-4646) (404-331-3580); James W. Pulliam, trances of bat hibernation caves. Robert P. Smith, Acting Chief, Regional Director; Tom Olds, Assistant Division of Endangered Species and Regional Director; John I. Christian, Habitat Conservation Deputy Assistant Regional Director (703-235-2771) and acting Endangered Species Spe- Marshall P. Jones, Acting Chief, Region 6—The Peregrine Partnership, cialist. Office of fVlanagement Authority which includes the Colorado Division of (202-343-4968) Region 5. One Gateway Center, Suite 700, Wildlife, Colorado Wildlife Federation, and Clark R. Bavin, Chief, Newton Corner. MA 02158 (617-965- Denver Museum of Natural History, is Division of Law Enforcement (202-343-9242) 5100); Howard Larson, Regional Direc- planning to place up to six American per- TECHNICAL BULLETIN tor; Ralph Pisapia. Assistant Regional egrine falcon {Faico peregrlnus anatum) Michael Bender, Editor Director; Paul Nickerson, Endangered chicks in a hack box on the 23rd floor of a (703-235-2407) Species Specialist. building in downtown Denver. The high- Region 6, P.O. Box 25486, Denver Federal nse habitat is similar to that in other cities Regional Offices Center, Denver, CO 80225 (303-236- where peregrines have been successfully Region 1. Lloyd 500 BIdg., Suite 1692, 500 7920); Galen Buterbaugh, Regional hacked. The city's large populations of N.E. Multnomah St., Portland, OR Director; Robert E. Jacobsen, Assistant pigeons and starlings will be prey for the 97232 (503-231-6118); Rolf L. Wal- Regional Director; Larry Shanks, urban falcons. Similar programs have Endangered Species Specialist. lenstrom. Regionai Director; David F. been successful in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Riley, Assistant Regionai Director; Wayne S. White, Endangered Species Region 7, 1011 E. Tudor Rd., Anchorage, Salt Lake City, Utah; Albany, New York; Specialist. AK 99503 (907-786-3542); Walter O. and Baltimore, Maryland. Stieglitz, Regional Director; Rowan Region 2, P.O. Box 1306, Albuquerque. NM Gould, Assistant Regional Director; 87103 (505-766-2321); Michael J. Ron Garrett, Endangered Species Spear, Regional Director; Conrad A. Specialist. The final recovery plan for the Wright Fjetland, Assistant Regional Director; fishhook cactus {Sclerocactus wrightiae) Region 8, (FWS Research and Develop- James Johnson, Endangered Species has been printed and distributed. The ment), Washington, D.C. 20240; Rich- Specialist plan calls for the establishment of two ard N. Smith. Regional Director; Bet- self-sustaining populations of 10,000 indi- Region 3, Federal BIdg., Fort Snelling, Twin tina Sparrowe (202-653-8762), Cities, MN 5511 1 (612-725-3500); Endangered Species Specialist. viduals each before the species will be considered for downlisting to Threatened U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regions status. A third such population must be Region 1; California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, American Samoa, established before the species can be Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the Pacific Trust Territories. delisted. The Wright fishhook cactus, Region 2; Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Region 3: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, listed in 1979 as Endangered, is currently Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Region 4: Alabama, Arkansas, Flor- known from a limited number of small ida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Region 5; Connecticut. Delaware, District of populations in Emery and Wayne Coun- Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, ties, Utah. Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. Region 6; Colorado, The final recovery plan for the spineless Kansas, Montana. Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. Region 7: hedgehog cactus (Echinocereus triglochidi- Alaska. Region 8; Research and Development nationwide. atus var. inermis) has been printed. This En- The ENDANGERED SPECIES TECHNICAL BULLETIN is published monthly by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C. 20240. (continued on page 8)

ENDANGERED SPECIES TECHNICAL BULLETIN Vol. XIII No. 3 (1988) 1 Loss of Wetlands Threatens Four Plants

Four species of plants in the eastern United States were identified during Feb- ruary as vulnerable to extinction because of a decline in their freshwater wetland habitat. In order to make them eligible for protection under the Endangered Species Act, Endangered or Threatened listings were proposed for the following:

Mountain Sweet Pitcher Plant {Sarracenia rubra ssp. jonesii) Carnivorous plants, or plants that trap and consume insects, have long fasci- nated many people. Although the Venus flytrap {Dionaea muscipula) is the best known example, carnivorous plants take a number of other forms. Pitcher plants, for example, produce clusters of erect, trum- pet-sfiaped leaves that form roughly tubu- lar "pitchers" covered by a chordate hood. Insects are attracted to nectar secreted by glands near the pitcher orifice or to the plant's showy coloration, and some crawl or fall into the pitchers. Just inside the mouth of the pitcher tube is a very smooth surface, which offers no footholds to most insects, and below that the Interior is lined with stiff downward- # % A'i pointing hairs that further hamper escape. Those insects that cannot get away are The mountain sweet pitcher plant is an eventually digested by enzymes in the a; herbaceous perennial that grows up to 29 fluid secreted inside the pitchers. 8 inches (73 centimeters) in height. Its 1 pitchers are a waxy green, usually lined with The mountain sweet pitcher plant is a = maroon-purple veins. The uniquely showy subspecies endemic to a few mountain ^ and fragrant flowers have recurving sepals, bogs and streamsides in southwestern s are borne singly on erect scapes, and are North Carolina and northwestern South Q usually maroon in color. Carolina along the Blue Ridge Divide. Of the 26 populations known historically, only 10 remain. The others were eliminated by States of Illinois and Missouri. This im- mination. Because of these threats, the drainage of boggy habitats; flooding by pressive perennial herb in the family Service has proposed to list the decurrent impoundments; conversion of the sites to Asteraceae grows up to 79 inches (2 false aster as Threatened (F.R. 2/25/88). agricultural and grazing land; collection; meters) in height. It produces clusters of and vanous forms of development. Eight Four of the populations known to re- attractive aster-like flowers with yellow main occur on public lands, three of them of the ten surviving populations are on pri- disks and white to (more commonly) pur- vate property where they may face threats on Illinois State property and one on land ple rays. The flower heads, which are from habitat alteration and collectors of administered by the U.S. Army Corps of about the size of a quarter-dollar, are carnivorous plants. Two occur on State of Engineers in St. Charles County, Mis- borne in small clusters on branched in- South Carolina lands, but even these pop- souri. Management plans are being de- florescenses. ulations are vulnerable to illegal take and, veloped for the B. decurrens populations in one case, impacts from recreation. Destruction or modification of native in Illinois, and the Corps of Engineers floodplain habitat has significantly re- may soon enter into a cooperative man- In light of these threats, the Service has duced the distribution of B. decurrens agement agreement with the Missouri proposed to list Sarracenia rubra ssp. from historical levels. Extensive surveys Department of Conservation. Because of jonesii as Endangered (F.R. 2/10/88). by State botanists from 1980 to 1985 the habitat siltation, certain agricultural Comments on the proposal should be located a total of 12 surviving populations practices and other means of soil manip- sent to the Asheville Field Office, U.S. in Illinois. There are another two popula- ulation may be helpful to conserve current Fish and Wildlife Service, 100 Otis Street, tions known in Missouri. Drainage of mar- populations and to establish new ones. It Room 224, Asheville, North Carolina shes and wet prairies for agricultural has been observed that the species does 28801, by April 11, 1988. development has been a problem for the grow in some disturbed alluvial deposits. species, but the main continuing threat is Comments on the proposal to list B. thought to be siltation. As a result of decurrens as a Threatened species Decurrent False Aster extensive row crop agriculture within the should be sent to the Regional Director, (Boltonia decurrens) watershed and the alterations of natural Region 3 (address on page 2 of the BUL- water flow cycles by numerous levee sys- LETIN), by April 25, 1988. Endemic to the wet floodplains of the tems, heavy loads of silt—up to 3 inches Illinois and Mississippi Rivers, the decur- (76 millimeters) in a year—are deposited rent false aster is known only from the in the floodplains, preventing seed ger- (continued on next page)

ENDANGERED SPECIES TECHNICAL BULLETIN Vol. XIII No. 3 (1988) 1 Wetland Plants (continued from page 3)

Harperella {Ptilimnium nodosum) Named after Dr. Roland M. Harper, who discovered this plant in 1902, the har- perella is an annual in the parsley family (Apiaceae). This species grows up to 39 inches (one meter) in height and pro- duces small white flowers in heads not unlike those of the Queen Anne's lace (Daucus carota). It occurs in Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas, West Virginia, and Maryland. Another wetland-dependent plant, the harperella is always found on saturated substrates and it readily tolerates periodic, moderate flooding. It occurs in two specific habitat types: 1) the shoals and margins of clear, swift-flowing streams, and 2) the edges of shallow, intermittently flooded ponds and wet meadows on the coastal plain. The spe- cies' tolerance of flooding may be of key importance because few potential com- petitors are adapted to such water fluctua- tions. However, the amount and fre- quency of flooding is critical; prolonged or extensive floods can wash away the seed bank, while insufficient flooding can lessen the species' competitive edge over Among the distinguishing characteristics of Boltonia decurrens are its decurrent (down- wardly curved) leaves and attractive, aster-like flowers. other plants. Ivlore than one-half of the historically known harperella populations have disap- peared. Extensive surveys by The Nature Conservancy and State Natural Heritage Programs have documented only 10 re- maining populations. Because P. nodosum has such specific ecological re- quirements, it can easily be extirpated from an area even by seemingly minor alteration of the habitat. Wetland drain- age, water quality degradation, siltation, and various forms of development threaten the harperella's habitat. In West Virginia, approximately 10,000 plants were destroyed by the construction of a vacation home development in 1984. P. nodosum is not known to occur on any Federal lands. Some populations are found on State lands, along streams over which States have jurisdiction, or on pre- serves owned by The Nature Conser- vancy. State Natural Heritage Programs, particularly in South Carolina and West Virginia, have been actively pursuing easements and voluntary protection agreements with landowners. Such agreements, while potentially very useful in protecting the plants, have no legal authority; accordingly, the Service has proposed to list the harperella as Endan- gered (F.R. 2/25/88). Comments on the listing proposal should be sent to the Ecological Services Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Serv- ice, 1825 Virginia Street, Annapolis, Mary- land 21401, by April 25, 1988.

(continued on next page) The harperella's small white flowers may appear from May to frost.

ENDANGERED SPECIES TECHNICAL BULLETIN Vol. XIII No. 3 (1988) 1 (continued from page 4) bullata does not appear to be serious at cies Cooperative Agreements with the this time; a few nurseries do sell swamp Service. Listing also lends greater recog- Swamp Pink pinks cultivated from seed. nition to a species' precarious status, A few swamp pink populations occur on which encourages further conservation {Helonias bullata) Federal or State lands, where they re- efforts by State and local agencies, inde- Another plant threatened by the loss of ceive some protection from collecting and pendent organizations, and individuals. wetland habitat is the swamp pink, a habitat degradation. However, these sites Section 7 of the Act directs Federal perennial in the lily family (Liliaceae). This are not enough to ensure the species' agencies to use their legal authorities to plant, characterized by attractive pink to long term survival. On February 25, the further the purposes of the Act by carrying purplish flowers, represents the only spe- Service proposed to list H. bullata as a out conservation programs for listed spe- cies in its genus. Historically, it occurred Threatened species. cies. It also requires these agencies to in swamps, bogs, spring seepages, Comments on the listing proposal ensure that any actions they authorize, meadows, and streams edges from New should be sent to the Regional Director, fund, or carry out are not likely to jeopard- York to Georgia. Region 5, by April 25, 1988. ize the survival of a listed species. If an agency finds that one of its activities may The widespread drainage and develop- affect a listed species, it is required to ment of eastern wetlands eliminated the consult with the Service on ways to avoid swamp pink from many former habitats. Conservation IVieasures jeopardy. For species that are proposed For example, the species has been extir- for listing and for which jeopardy is found. pated from New York, and the number of Authorized by the Endangered Species Act Federal agencies are required to "confer" reported sites in New Jersey has declined with the Service, although the results of from approximately 100 historically to Among the conservation benefits pro- such a conference are non-binding. 35-40 today. Other colonies remain in Vir- vided to a species if its listing under the Further protection is authorized by Sec- ginia (eight sites). North Carolina (seven Endangered Species Act is approved are: tion 9 of the Act, which makes it illegal to sites), Delaware (six sites), and Maryland, protection from adverse effects of Federal take, possess, transport, or traffic in listed Georgia, and South Carolina (one site activities; restrictions on take and traffick- animals except by permit for certain con- each). Most of these populations are on ing; the requirement for the Service to servation purposes. (See Code of Federal private lands where they are vulnerable to develop and implement recovery plans; Regulations, Title 50, Part 17.) For plants, further losses of wetland habitat. the authorization to seek land purchases the prohibition against collecting applies Collecting, though not as great a dan- or exchanges for important habitat; and only to listed taxa found on lands under ger to the swamp pink as habitat loss, is a the possibility of Federal aid to State or Federal jurisdiction. Some States, how- significant threat. This species is referred Commonwealth conservation depart- ever, have their own more restrictive laws to in a number of wildflower books and ments that have signed Endangered Spe- against the take of listed plants. field guides as one of the most beautiful plants in the eastern United States, a description that attracts many garden hobbyists and curiosity seekers. Plants have frequently been taken from the wild, Protection Approved for Six Species often without the consent of the land- owners. Commercial trafficking in wild H. A freshwater mussel and five plants populations. The Aleutian shield-fern is were listed during February as Threat- now listed as Endangered (F.R. 2/17/88). ened or Endangered species. The protec- • Baricao {Trichiiia triacantha)—This tion authorized by the Endangered Spe- evergreen shrub or small tree is native to cies Act is now available to the following: low elevation semideciduous forests in • Louisiana Pearlshell {Margaritifera southwestern Puerto Rico. A total of 18 hembeli)—This freshwater mussel or individuals remains at 5 sites, all within clam is endemic to a single drainage, the Guanica Commonwealth Forest. Its range Bayou Boeuf, in Louisiana. Reservoir con- may have been considerably broader struction, pollution, and siltation from land before the widespread deforestation of disturbances in the watershed have de- Puerto Rico in past years. The remaining graded the pearlshell's aquatic habitat populations are in ravines where they are and reduced its range to only a few head- vulnerable to damage or destruction by water streams. Most of the remaining flash-floods. Any illegal cutting of these habitat is within Kisatchie National Forest, trees, which have wood of desirable quali- and the Fish and Wildlife Service will work ties, would also threaten the species with with the U.S. Forest Service to design log- extinction. For these reasons, the Service ging operations that will produce less has listed T. triacantha as an Endangered harmful runoff. The final rule listing the species (F.R. 2/5/88). Louisiana pearlshell as Endangered was published in the February 5, 1988, Fed- • Black-spored Quillwort (Isoetes eral Register. melanospora), Mat-forming Quillwort (/. • Aleutian Shield-fern {Polystlchum tegetiformans), and Little Amphianthus aleuticum)—One of the rarest ferns in (Amphianthus pusillus)—All three of North America, P. aleuticum apparently is these small aquatic plants are endemic to restricted to two mountain sites in the pools on the surface of granite outcrops in Aleutian Islands of Alaska. Only one pop- Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina. ulation, consisting of six individual plants, Many of these outcrops are subject to is known to survive. The Service will work quarrying, heavy recreational use, dump- The swamp pink, a very distinctive plant, is with the U.S. Navy, which holds develop- ing, and other activities dangerous to the named for its vi/etland habitat and the stril(- ment rights to the island (Adak) on which plants. Both Isoetes taxa have been listed ingly attractive pink to purplish flowers. The the population was discovered, to con- as Endangered (F.R. 2/5/88). A. pusillus flower clusters are borne at the end of a hol- serve the plant's naturally harsh alpine occurs over a somewhat wider range than low stem up to 2 feet (60 centimeters) in height that grows from a basal rosette of habitat. Surveys will be conducted at the other two species; therefore, it was lance-shaped, evergreen leaves. potential sites in an effort to locate other listed as Threatened.

ENDANGERED SPECIES TECHNICAL BULLETIN Vol. XIII No. 3 (1988) 1 Colorado River Fishes (continued from page 1) habitat due to inundation by reservoirs, blocl

ENDANGERED SPECIES TECHNICAL BULLETIN Vol. XIII No. 3 (1988) 1 (continued from previous page) will not be a complete solution to the problem. Manmade areas, such as gravel pits along the Colorado River, can be used as rearing areas for native fishes. 4. Management of non-native spe- cies and sportfishing. Certain intro- duced fish species are suspected to prey on, or compete with, the endangered fishes. In addition, anglers have been known to capture endangered fishes fre- quently in some areas. These potential problem areas will be monitored and con- trolled where necessary and feasible through a coopet-ative effort between State wildlife agencies and the Service. razorback sucker 5. Research, monitoring, and data management. Detailed study plans will identify criteria needed for recovery, test the effectiveness of management and recovery strategies, and evaluate the life history and habitat of each of the four species. Monitoring will track population status and trends and evaluate the overall success of the program. Timely analysis and reporting of monitoring and research data will be accomplished by a cost-effec- tive data management system. This cen- tralized system will serve as an informa- tion resource for directing management strategies and recovery activities. humpback chub The program's recovery goals for the Colorado squawfish and humpback chub are to maintain and protect self-sustaining populations and sufficient natural habitat to support these populations. Due to the particularly critical status of the bonytail chub, the immediate goal is to prevent its extinction, while the ultimate goal is to protect self-sustaining populations and natural habitat. Although the razorback sucker is not currently listed as Endan- gered or Threatened, its precarious status makes it desirable to provide for its future using the same goals established for the Colorado squawfish and humpback chub. Funding of the Recovery Program is a bonytail chub cooperative responsibility. Expenditures are divided into two areas, the annual operating budget and capital funds. The projected annual budget for the recovery program is $2,300,000. Sources for both funds will include Federal and State gov- ernments, power and water users, and private-donations. (The Fish and Wildlife Service is currently contributing approx- imately $600,000 per year toward this annual cost.) Two capital funds are needed through congressional appropria- tions. One of the funds (approximately $10 million) will be for the purchase of water rights to establish instream flows. In addition to the flow acquisition fund, $5 million will be needed to initiate other Colorado squawfish recovery construction elements, such as drawings by Dr. Robert J. Behnke hatcheries, additional fish passages, hab- itat modification, and other projects. Con- tributions by proponents of non-Federal the average annual depletion of the proj- demonstrate that, with cooperation and water projects will provide an additional ect. careful planning, development and the source of funding, offsetting depletion This Recovery Agreement represents a needs of native fishes in the Upper Colo- impacts by contributing $10 per acre-foot major effort to satisfy a group of highly rado River Basin can be compatible. (adjusted annually for inflation) based on divergent interests. If successful, it will

ENDANGERED SPECIES TECHNICAL BULLETIN Vol. XIII No. 3 (1988) 1 Regional News (continued from page 2) BOX SCORE OF U.S . LISTINGS AND RECOVERY PLANS dangered cactus occurs within a 75-mile area in Colorado and Utah. Threats to the ENDANGERED 1 THREATENED SPECIES species include collecting and potential Category U.S. U.S. & Foreign} U.S. U.S. & Foreign SPECIES* WITH habitat disturbance. The plan calls for pro- Only Foreign Only [ Only Foreign Only TOTAL PLANS tection of existing populations and research on the plant's taxonomic status, as well as 240 1 3 3 23 316 23 an inventory of potential habitat. Mammals 28 19 Birds 61 15 145 1 7 3 0 231 55 Both plans are available for purchase Reptiles 8 7 59 ! 14 4 14 106 21 by writing to the Fish and Wildlife Refer- Amphibians 5 0 8 1 4 0 0 17 6 ence Service, 6011 Executive Boulevard, Fishes 41 2 11 1 25 6 0 85 45 Rockville, Maryland 20852; or call toll-free Snails 3 0 1 1 5 0 0 9 7 at 800/582-3421. (In Maryland, call 301/ Clams 29 0 2 I 0 0 0 31 21 776-3000.) Crustaceans 5 0 0 1 1 0 0 6 1 Insects 8 0 0 1 7 0 0 15 12 Plants 139 6 1 j 31 3 2 183 56 Region 8 (Research)—The Patuxent TOTAL 327 49 467 1 97 19 39 998 263 " Wildlife Research Center reports that nine volunteer nest watchers began working Total U.S. Endangered 376 Recovery Plans approved: 223 on the Puerto Rican parrot (Amazona vit- Total U.S. Threatened 116 Species currently proposed tor listing: 17 animals tata) research project in mid-February to 31 plants watch, guard, and collect data during Total U.S. Listed 492 daylight hours on the active Puerto Rican parrot nests in the wild. The volunteer 'Separate populations of a species that are listed both as Endangered and Threatened are nest watcher program is a cooperative tallied twice. Those species are: the leopard, gray wolf, bald eagle, piping plover, roseate venture between the Service, the National tern, Nile crocodile, green sea turtle, and olive Ridley sea turtle. For the purposes of the Audubon Society, and the Student Con- Endangered Species Act, the term "species" can mean a species, subspecies, or distinct servation Association. This is the second vertebrate population. Several entries also represent entire genera or even families. year that the nest watcher program has been conducted. Volunteers will remain "More than one species are covered by some recovery plans, and a few species have on the project until early June. separate plans covering different parts of their ranges.

Number of Cooperative Agreements signed with States and Territories: 51 fish & wildlife A radio telemetry study on the 'oma'o or March 31, 1988 36 plants Hawaiian thrush {Myadestes obscurus), a surrogate test species for the Endangered nets in the Hawaii Volcanoes National coriacea) so that suitable habitat can be palila {Loxioides bailleui), is proceeding Park, fitted with radio transmitters, and provided at Moapa National Wildlife Ref- on schedule at Patuxent's Hawaii tracked daily. uge in southern Nevada, the first refuge Research Station. Transmitter attachment ever created for a fish. Research in sup- techniques have been refined, receiving port of the goal of species recovery has systems tested under operational condi- The National Fisheries Research Cen- been completed, and results and recom- tions, and personnel trained in tracking ter-Seattle has recently completed a mendations have been passed on to methodology. Since December 28, four 3-year study on the life history and habitat Region 1, which has management re- Hawaii thrush have been captured in mist requirements of the Moapa dace (Moapa sponsibility.

March 1988 Vol. XIII No. 3 FIRST CLASS POSTAGE AND FEES PAID u.s DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR oMn =n CpPriPs PERMIT NO G-77

Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Technical Bulletin Service, Washington, D.C. 20240

ENDANGERED SPECIES TECHNICAL BULLETIN Vol. XIII No. 3 (1988) 1