Unit 21 Endangered Species

1. Unit 21 Endangered Species Endangered Species Act of 1973

2. Endangered Species Act • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service • http://www.fws.gov

3. FWS Activities • List, reclassify, and delist species under the ESA • Biological opinions to other Federal agencies • Oversee recovery activities • Protect important habitat • Grants to states

4. Definitions • Fish and wildlife • Mammals, fish, birds, amphibians, reptiles, mollusks, crustaceans, arthropods, other invertebrates • Plant • Any member of the plant kingdom • Species • May include subspecies & distinct populations

5. Definitions • Endangered species • In danger of becoming extinct over all or part of its range • Threatened species • Likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future

6. Listing Decisions • Habitat destruction • Overutilization for commercial, recreational, or educational purposes • Disease or predation • Other natural or man-made factors

7. Petitions to list, reclassify, or delist • Evaluated upon substantive data • 90 day evaluation period followed by publication in the Federal Register • If positive - status review of the species

8. Status review • Must conclude w/in 12 months of receipt • Alternative conclusions • Warranted • Unwarranted • Warranted but precluded by higher priorities • Costs & benefits not considered

9. Designation of Critical Habitat • Habitat essential for survival • Scientific data & economic data • Designation • To extent prudent & determinable at the time of the listing

10. Implementation • Recovery plan • Impact on landowners • Habitat conservation management plans

11. Conclusions • Some success • Controversial • Habitat approach out of step • Unintended consequences • Future approaches? • Rapid loss of habitat