1Perdido Key Beach MouseRecovery Action PlanPerdido Key beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus trissyllepsis)U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southeast Region – PanamaCity, Florida Ecological Services Field Office, July 28, 2009◘Target:Prevent Extinction and Improve the Status of the Perdido Key Beach MousePerdido Key beach mouse:Status: EndangeredRecovery Priority Number: 3C (high degree of threat/high recovery potential)Recovery Plan: Choctawhatchee Beach Mouse, Perdido Key BeachMouse, and Alabama Beach Mouse Recovery Plan, 19875-year Review: completed in September 2007Other: Listed as endangered on June 6, 1985 (50 FR 23872), designation of critical habitat, October 12, 2006 (71 FR 60238)Threats:Habitat loss and fragmentation:Habitat loss and fragmentation associated with residential and commercial real estate development is theprimary threat contributing to the endangered status of beach mice. Isolation of small populations of beach mice reduces or precludes geneflow between populations and can result inthe loss of genetic diversity. The conservation of multiple large, contiguous tracts of habitat isessential to the persistence of beach mice.Restricted range: The Perdido Key beach mouse (PKBM) is endemic to the 16-mile long barrier island known as Perdido Key, EscambiaCounty, Florida. Currently, the only known populations exist at Perdido Key State Park (PKSP) and Gulf Islands National Seashore,Johnson Beach Unit (GINS). Perdido Key beach mice at PKSP are currently at extremely low numbers;habitat is in recovery sincethe2004-2005 storm seasons. Recent surveys at GINS indicate the adult population includes only a fewhundred individuals. GINS isa longbut narrow spit of land that can be overwashed in tropical storms or hurricanes. Future overwash events may result in the extirpation of thepopulations.Catastrophic events: For example, weather events even minorstorms could cause the species’ extinction.2Predation: Predation in beach mouse populations that have sufficient recruitment and habitat availability is natural and not a concern.However, predation pressure from natural and non-native predators may result in the extirpationof small, isolated populationsof beachmice. In particular, free ranging feral and domestic cats canhave a devastating effect on beach mice populations.Development: Coastal development reduces availabilityand connectivity of habitat; increases human associated perturbations includingfree-roaming pets, ambient lighting, and recreational use.Perdido Key Beach Mouse Recovery Action PlanCurrent Status:Hurricane Ivan made landfall in September 2004 just west of Perdido Key, resultingin severe impacts to the barrier islandand the Perdido Key beach mouse.Hurricanes are part of the natural ecosystem as areother coastal weather events and a factor in themaintenance of beach mouse habitat through shoreline accretion, erosion, and dune formation.However, the loss and fragmentation ofhabitat have amplified the potential impacts, suchthat minor storms now pose a significant threat.While several habitat improvement andrestoration projects have been completed since then, monitoring has shown a severe decline in what had previously been the largest, mostsecure population of the beach mouse. Currently, the known populations could easily be lost in a tropical storm or hurricane, resulting intheir extirpation. Threats may act in concert especially when coupled with events such as tropical storms, reduced food availability, and/orreduced reproductive success; isolated populationsmay experience severe declines or extirpation.Target:Prevent species’ extinction and improvethe species status within its range.Measure:Ensure the viabilityof the PKBM populations and minimizeimmediate threat of extinction.Increase population size. ImproveRecovery Status from Declining to Stable.Actions:RA=Recovery Action; 1st # = priority; 2nd # =task no.FY09 FY10 FY11 FY12 FY13 Costs Responsible Parties andNotesComplete reintroduction study previouslyfunded with FY08 national recovery initiativepreventing extinction funds (PVE) at $50,000and FY 09 $35,000 PVE funds.RA: 1-22 ; RA: 2-251 ; RA: 2-252, 2-2521, 2-2522, 3-2531; RA: 1-24 ; RA: 2-25X X$85,000ContractedFWS, Florida Fish andWildlife ConservationCommission, and contractor(Zoo-Logic)Complete reintroduction of PKBM to PerdidoKey State Park and other lands as determined.Funding needed for wild and captive geneticdeterminations and survival of reintroducedmice. Project may need to be phased becauseof funding needs. FY09 work-planning.RA: 3-12 ; RA: 2-1221 ; RA:2-2533X X X$35,000Genetics$75,000reintroduction work andstudiesneededFWS, FL Fish and WildlifeConservation Commission,and contractor (Zoo-Logic).Continue feral cat and predator controlon X X X X X $75,000/yr USDA-Wildlife Services3public lands, on Perdido Key ($15,000 eachyear).Preventing extinction funds received in FY09.RA: 2-1213; RA: 2-341; RA: 2-3421,000contractedin FY09(control), FWS, FloridaDepartment ofEnvironmental Protectionand National Park ServiceContinue to work with County to adoptbeachfront lighting ordinance which willreduce nighttime lighting of the dunes andscrub habitat of the PKBM (draft ordinancereviewed by Service).RA:3-1215X $0ServiceinkindEscambia CountyRevise Recovery Plan, the 1987 RecoveryPlan should be revisedand updated to reflectthe current status and threats to the PKBM,and recovery criteria,objectives, and tasksshould be developed.X X $35,000TotalneededFWS and partners or acontractorEmergency Response Plan,a contingency planshould be developed to outline actions taken incase of severe threats to the persistence ofPKBM (i.e., forecasted category 5 hurricane,feral cat populationincrease, populationcrash).RA: 3-4 (oil spills only)X $10,000TotalneededFWS and partners or acontractorAppropriate parcelsfor land acquisitionshouldbe identified using LIDAR data (to identifyhigh-elevation habitat)and current knowledgeof PKBM movements and habitat use. TheService in concert withthe state and Countystaff has identified potential parcels that wouldbenefit the recovery of the PKBM.RA: 1-1223; RA:2-131; RA: 1-14X X X X $500,000 –10 millionTotalneededFWS with partners:Escambia County, State ofFlorida, Trust for PublicLands, Nature Conservancy.County requesting FWSsection 6 fundsOutreach and education, opportunities toconvey the importance of coastal dune habitatto the public shouldbe sought after andpursued. Additional “Share the Shore” signswere purchased by the Service. In addition, anXFundedby theCo.XFundedby theCo.XFundedby theCo.$25,000Totalneeded foroutreachplanEscambia County to lead4outreach/education program focused on thethreats feral cats pose towildlife should alsobe developed.Most ofthis is to be conductedunder Perdido Key-wide ITP (if issued).RA: 3-313; RA:2-33Researchshould be conducted to investigatethe effectiveness of corridors currently setaside in HCPs. Studies should determine theminimum dimensions needed by PKBM toensure movement of individuals and geneticexchange through corridors.X X X $65,000TotalneededContractorHurricane response studies,One project isunderway to determine how beach micerecolonize areas after storm events (funded byDaphne and Panama City Field Offices).Further research should be implemented todetermine the response of beach mice to stormevents. This may include placing transmitterson beach mice immediately prior to ahurricane event to determine whether (or towhat extent) beach mice retreat to the scrubdunes, remain in their burrows, or perish.RA: 1-11X X X $50,000 –$300,000TotalneededFWS and partnersTranslocation,Multiple populations of PKBMare crucial for its long-term persistence. Plansshould be developed to translocate PKBM toGSP if that population is found to beextirpated, and feral catand other threats havebeen minimized or removed.RA: 2-1221; RA: 1-22; RA: 1-24X X X X X $35,000Total; onetime costfor firstyearneededFWS, partners and/orcontractorsHabitat restoration using sand fencing and/orapplication of fertilizer have yielded greatervegetative cover and greater densities of beachXFundedAssistanceprovidedthru PVEFWS and partners5mice. Current project to be done at GulfIslands National Seashore.RA: 2-1222funds$27,500 forfertilizerprojectHabitat restoration as needed but particularlyafter hurricanes or other significant weatherevents using vegetation planting.RA: 2-1222X X X X X$25,000 peryear ifneeded or$125,000total needed.FWS and partnersThe State greenhouseproject should becontinued to conduct research on cultivatingand to produce commercially unavailablevegetation for dune restoration of PKBMhabitats.RA:2-1222XFundedX X X X$10,000 peryear. Newfunds$40,000totalneeded.PreviousGreenhouseprojectprovided viaposthurricanefunds; total$200,000 –not all workon PerdidoKeyFlorida Dept. OfEnvironmental ProtectionResearch on the effectsof artificial lighting onbeach mice should be undertaken. Theresearch should focus on the different types ofnow considered “wildlife lighting lamps” andhow beach mice breeding, foraging andmovement behaviorand home range.RA:1-11X X 25,000TotalneededFWS, partners and/orcontractorsOngoing and Future ConservationActionsResponsible PartyEstimated Cost6Monitoring of PKBM on public lands(continuing)RA:1-231Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission $35,000/ yr neededCompletion of HCP and application ofa Perdido Key-wide ITP by EscambiaCounty (in progress)RA:2-15Escambia County, ($460,000) assistance providedthru section 6 grant ($492,000)$656,000Role of other Agencies: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will play a key rolein monitoring species status and inproviding the staff for reintroduction of beach mice. The National Park Service and Florida Department of Environmental Protection willplay important roles in approvals and providing staff to assist in the reintroduction efforts as well as feral cat and other predator controlefforts as they own the public lands on which we intend to capture mice, reintroduce them, and provide predator control. Escambia Countywill be involved in all of theactions but in particular in approving a lighting ordinance to reduce the threat of nighttime lighting.Role of Other ESA Programs: We are in the process of negotiating a Perdido Key-wide Habitat Conservation Plan with Escambia Countyand the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. We have numerous small development HCP’s in various stages ofdevelopment and one section 7 consultation for a large proposed development project.Role of Other FWS Programs: NoneRevised Action Plan Due:July 2014