Rationales for Animal Species Considered for Designation as Species of Conservation Concern Inyo National Forest Prepared by: Wildlife Biologists and Natural Resources Specialists Regional Office, Inyo National Forest, and Washington Office Enterprise Program For: Inyo National Forest Updated August 2019 1 In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). 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Animal Rationales Species of Conservation Concern Contents Rationales for Animal Species Considered for Species of Conservation Concern Inyo National Forest ............................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1 Species of Conservation Concern Compared to Forest Service Sensitive Species ................. 1 Procedure for Evaluation of Animal Species of Conservation Concern ................................. 2 Inyo National Forest Species of Conservation Concern .......................................................... 3 References ............................................................................................................................... 3 Chapter 1 – Rationale for Animal Species Determined to be Species of Conservation Concern 4 Mammals ................................................................................................................................. 4 Nelson desert bighorn sheep - Ovis Canadensis nelsoni .................................................... 4 Sierra marten - Martes caurina sierrae .............................................................................. 9 Birds ...................................................................................................................................... 19 Bald eagle - Haliaeetus leucocephalus ............................................................................. 19 California spotted owl - Strix occidentalis occidentalis ................................................... 25 Great Gray Owl - Strix nebulosa ...................................................................................... 31 Mount Pinos Sooty Grouse - Dendragapus fuliginosus howardi ..................................... 38 Willow Flycatcher - Empidonax traillii (includes: Empidonax traillii brewsteri and Empidonax traillii adastus) .............................................................................................. 42 Amphibians ........................................................................................................................... 49 Black toad - Bufo exsul ..................................................................................................... 49 Inyo Mountains slender salamander - Batrachoseps campi ............................................. 54 Kern Plateau salamander - Batrachoseps robustus .......................................................... 58 Fish ........................................................................................................................................ 62 California golden trout - Oncorhynchus mykiss aquabonita ............................................ 62 Terrestrial Invertebrates ......................................................................................................... 68 Sierra sulphur - Colias behrii ........................................................................................... 68 Square dotted blue - Euphilotes battoides mazourka ....................................................... 75 Mono Lake checkerspot - Euphydryas editha monoensis ................................................ 77 Boisduval's blue - Plebejus icarioides inyo ...................................................................... 81 San Emigdio blue - Plebulina emigdionis ........................................................................ 83 Apache fritillary (Apache silverspot butterfly) - Speyeria nokomis apacheana .............. 86 A cave obligate pseudoscorpion - Tuberochernes aalbui ................................................ 89 Aqautic Insects ...................................................................................................................... 91 Owens Valley springsnail - Pygulopsis owensensis ......................................................... 91 Western pearlshell - Margaritifera falcata ....................................................................... 95 Wong’s springsnail - Pyrgulopsis wongi ........................................................................ 101 Chapter 2 – Rationale for Animal Species Not Meeting Criteria of Species of Conservation Concern ................................................................................................................................... 106 Mammals ............................................................................................................................. 106 American badger - Taxidea taxus ................................................................................... 106 American pika - Ochotona princeps, Ochotona princeps schisticeps ............................ 106 Fisher - Pekania pennanti ............................................................................................... 109 Fringed myotis, Myotis thysanodes ................................................................................ 115 Little brown myotis - Myotis lucifugus .......................................................................... 120 Lodgepole chipmunk - Neotamias speciosus speciosus ................................................. 120 Long-eared myotis - Myotis evotis ................................................................................. 121 Long-legged myotis - Myotis volans .............................................................................. 122 Owens Valley vole - Microtus californicus vallicola ..................................................... 122 i Animal Rationales Species of Conservation Concern Pallid bat - Antrozous pallidus ....................................................................................... 123 Pronghorn - Antilocapra americana ............................................................................... 126 Pygmy rabbit - Brachylagus idahoensis ......................................................................... 126 Sierra Nevada mountain beaver - Aplodontia rufa californica ...................................... 128 Sierra Nevada Snowshoe Hare - Lepus americanus tahoensis, Oregon Snowshoe Hare - Lepus americanus klamathensis ..................................................................................... 131 Silver-haired bat - Lasionycteris noctivagans ................................................................ 133 Spotted bat - Euderma maculatum ................................................................................. 135 Townsend's big-eared bat - Corynorhinus townsendii ................................................... 137 Western white-tailed jack rabbit - Lepus townsendii townsendii ................................... 147 Yuma myotis - Myotis yumanensis................................................................................. 148 Birds .................................................................................................................................... 149 American peregrine falcon - Falco peregrinus anatum ................................................. 149 American white pelican - Pelecanus erythrorhynchos ................................................... 153 Bank swallow - Riparia riparia ....................................................................................