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The Road Back

Endangered Species Recovery

Success with Partners
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Dedication Dedication Dedication

Our fate and that of our economy Our fate and that of our economy

are linked to natural systems. We are linked to natural systems. We are linked to natural systems. We

cannot eliminate species and expect cannot eliminate species and expect cannot eliminate species and expect

our own our own

to survive to survive to survive. Mollie H. Beattie

Director, U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service

1993-1996

Mollie H. Beattie

Walter Steiglitz

This report is dedicated to Mollie Beattie, the former

Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service, who lost her

personal struggle with brain cancer on June 27, 1996.

During her three-year tenure as Director, Mollie challenged

the Service to adopt an ecosystem approach to fulfill its

conservation mission. She believed that this approach,

supported by the development of new partnerships and the

strengthening of old ones, would assure success. Mollie

dedicated her life to conserving wildlife and the ecosystems

that support them. She worked tirelessly to make the

Endangered Species Act work better, because she believed

that Aldo Leopold was correct: “The first rule of intelligent

tinkering is to save all the parts.”

Restoring a threatened or endangered species to a secure

status is seldom an easy process. It requires the cooperation

and involvement of a wide array of interests, including

Federal, State, and local agencies; Tribal governments;

scientists from a variety of disciplines; conservation

organizations; the business community; landowners, and

other concerned individuals. Without their help, the

successes described in this report could not have been

achieved. This report was made possible by the many

people who shared their ideas, species accounts, and

beautiful photographs, and by Mollie Beattie.

Front Cover:

Peregrine Falcon

P. Mullen/USFWS
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The Road Back

These Peregrine falcon chicks, shown nesting in the wild, are examples of successful recovery efforts.

Karen Bollinger/USFWS

Endangered Species Recovery

Success with Partners
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Recovery of the Shasta crayfish depends on healthy river habitats.

USFWS

Aquatic ecosystems are Aquatic ecosystems are Aquatic ecosystems are

home to approximately home to approximately

40 percent of listed 40 percent of listed

species, highlighting the species, highlighting the species, highlighting the

need for clean water. need for clean water. need for clean water.
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Contents

Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1

What is the Endangered Species Act?................................................................................. 3

What Types of Activities Threaten Listed Species? ............................................................. 5

Why Save Threatened and Endangered Species? ................................................................. 9

Recovery: What Does it Mean? ....................................................................................... 13

What Kind of Recovery Activities Can Help a Listed Species?........................................... 15

Why is Recovery a Complex and Challenging Endeavor?....................................................... 17

How do Cooperative Partnerships Assist with Recovery? ......................................................... 19

How Can Landowners Become Involved? ............................................................................ 21

What Successes have been Achieved?.................................................................................. 23

American Peregrine Falcon.................................................................................................... 23

Black-footed Ferret ............................................................................................................ 24

Greenback Cutthroat Trout .................................................................................................... 24

Louisiana Black Bear ......................................................................................................... 25

Aleutian Canada Goose ....................................................................................................... 26

Cheat Mountain Salamander ................................................................................................ 26

Northeastern Beach Tiger Beetle ............................................................................................. 28

Haleakala Silversword ........................................................................................................ 29

Peters Mountain Mallow..................................................................................................... 31

Gray Wolf .................................................................................................................... 33

Abrams Creek Threatened and Endangered Fish ............................................................................ 35

Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge.................................................................................... 37

Karner Blue Butterfly ........................................................................................................ 39

Can Private Individuals Become Involved in Recovering Species? .......................................... 41

How Can I get More Information About Endangered Species? ........................................... 45

Summary ........................................................................................................................ 47

Regional Offices .............................................................................................................. 48
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Introduction

A

merica’s landscape has undergone dramatic changes

 over the past 300 years. The towering forests and vast

prairies that once characterized the landscape now are

crisscrossed by highways and fragmented by cities and

towns. The environment has changed rapidly because of the

increasing demands of the growing human population for

water, land, and energy to support agriculture, industry,

transportation, and other interests. These changes are

stressing many of our natural communities and the native

plant and animal species they sustain. As a result, many

species have gone extinct, while others are threatened with

a similar fate.

Recognizing these alarming trends, Congress took action in

1973, by passing the Endangered Species Act (Act). This

significant legislation reflects the deep respect and

appreciation that Americans have for our natural resources,

as well as an understanding that all life is linked to a healthy

environment. The Act has been credited with saving

hundreds of species from extinction, including the California

condor and the black-footed ferret, and for improving the

quality of habitat for many more common species.

Our national symbol, the bald eagle, is a good example of

the progress achieved under the Act. This magnificent bird

once nested throughout the United States. By 1967,

however, the species was eliminated from much of its range,

and the number of bald eagles in the lower 48 States had

dropped to only 417 nesting pairs. Declines in the

population were attributed to habitat loss, illegal shooting,

and the effects of DDT (a widely-used pesticide) on its

reproduction. Efforts that have led to the species’ successful

recovery include protecting nesting sites, reestablishing

young eagles into former habitat, rehabilitating injured

eagles, banning DDT, and other actions involving the public

and private sectors. These recovery efforts helped to boost

the current eagle population in the lower 48 States to more

than 4,000 nesting pairs. The success of these efforts

allowed the Service to upgrade the status of the eagle from

endangered to threatened in 1995.

Facing Page: Much of the California

gnatcatchers habitat has

been changed through

economic development

near cities.

Claire Dobert/USFWS

Right: Bald eagles can now be

seen throughout much of

their former range

because of collaborative

recovery efforts.

Jeff Foott/USFWS
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Desert Tortoise

The Service is cooperating with the Bureau of Land

Management to conduct numerous recovery actions for

the desert tortoise. These include monitoring

permanent study plots to learn about long-term

population trends of the tortoise and sponsoring

conferences to develop desert management practices.

In addition, the Bureau of Land Management is

managing its desert tortoise habitat to ensure the

species’ long-term protection. Research on nutrition

and foraging ecology, being conducted by the Bureau

of Land Management, has already been used by the

Service to develop the Desert Tortoise Recovery Plan.

Large areas of desert tortoise habitat have been protected through cooperative efforts.

Ross Haley/USFWS

Desert tortoise

Luther Goldman/USFWS
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What is the

Endangered Species Act?

The Act, regarded as one of the world’s most important

wildlife conservation laws, calls for conserving

threatened and endangered plants and animals and the

ecosystems (or habitats) on which they depend. The Act

defines “conserve” as restoring species to a point where

their populations are stable and no longer in need of special

protection. Congress envisioned a network of international,

national, State and local governments, as well as industry,

conservation groups, and private individuals, working

together toward the common goal of conserving and

recovering species. The Act establishes a leadership role for

the Federal Government in conserving and recovering

species at risk. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) are responsible for

the administration of the Act and for the coordination of

recovery efforts for species. The Service is responsible for

terrestrial and most freshwater species, while NMFS is

responsible for marine species and anadromous fish, such as

salmon and the Hawaiian monk seal.

The Service, through its recovery program and with

cooperators, works to stabilize, conserve, and recover listed

species by securing their populations, reversing declining

numbers, and stabilizing species so that they are no longer

in danger of extinction. The participation of Federal, State,

and local agencies, Tribal governments, conservation

organizations, the business community, landowners, and

other concerned citizens has been critical to the stabilization

and recovery of these plants and animals.

Red-cockaded woodpecker poises at the entrance to one of the nest cavities developed as part of a

recovery effort.

USFWS

Red-Cockaded Woodpecker

The focus of conserving red-cockaded woodpeckers on

non-federal lands is to build incentives for

conservation by providing a simple mechanism for

small woodlot owners to effectively work with small

groups of birds. The Service must demonstrate to

private landowners the importance of their role in

recovery, which is to help increase the population on

unoccupied habitat on federal lands in areas where

there are designated recovery populations.
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Ozark cavefish habitat has been protected through voluntary agreements with landowners.

USFWS

Ozark Cavefish

Partnership efforts between government agencies

and private organizations have protected several

populations of Ozark cavefish in Benton County,

Arkansas, since this species was listed as threatened

in 1984. This blind, translucent fish is found in caves

within the central portions of the Ozark Highlands in

Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Several private

landowners, working with this alliance of agencies,

have agreed voluntarily to protect caves and to help

improve the groundwater on their land to assist the

species. Through these efforts, several populations of

Ozark cavefish have been protected in Benton

County, Arkansas.

Sixty-seven percent of the Sixty-seven percent of the Sixty-seven percent of the

freshwater mussels are rare freshwater mussels are rare freshwater mussels are rare

or imperiled, and one out of or imperiled, and one out of or imperiled, and one out of

every 10 mussel species every 10 mussel species every 10 mussel species

may have become extinct may have become extinct may have become extinct

during this century alone. during this century alone. during this century alone.
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A new Knowlton cactus seedling now can be seen because of the recovery efforts that involved the Service, the State of New Mexico, and the Bureau of Land Management.

USFWS

What Types of Activities

Threaten Listed Species?

A

lthough people have been altering the natural

 environment for thousands of years, technological

advances and accelerated development of the past few

centuries have drastically changed many natural habitats.

Many human activities have had serious detrimental effects

on species, including:

✦ land-clearing activities for agricultural production, homes,

shopping malls, and reservoirs;

✦ the pollution of our air, water, and land;

✦ collection of species for commercial, recreational,

or educational purposes; and

✦ introduction of nonnative species and diseases into

our environment.

In almost every case, these human activities were not meant

to harm wildlife and plants, but nonetheless, the resulting

effects have pushed some species to the brink of extinction.

Knowlton Cactus

A second reintroduced population of the Knowlton

cactus is being established, and there currently are 69

seedlings produced from seeds from the first site. The

Service, State of New Mexico, and Bureau of Land

Management all have participated in this project.
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Coastal marsh restoration is just one type of recovery activity implemented to restore habitat to benefit a variety of species, like the Yuma clapper rail.

USFWS
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One of the Service’s Partners for Wildlife projects, shown in the two photos taken

one year apart, has been completed along the Clinch River in southwestern Virginia.

Under a voluntary agreement, private land adjacent to the river was fenced to

protect the riparian zone from livestock grazing, which subsequently reduced the

amount of runoff from surrounding agricultural uses. Protection of this habitat

benefited several species of endangered freshwater mussels and fish species at risk.

USFWS

USFWS
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Partners from around the world participate in green sea turtle recovery efforts.

Gary S.Harrison/USFWS

The successes of these The successes of these The successes of these

cooperative recovery efforts cooperative recovery efforts cooperative recovery efforts

are demonstrated by the are demonstrated by the are demonstrated by the

fact that approximately fact that approximately

60 percent of the species 60 percent of the species 60 percent of the species

listed between 1968 and listed between 1968 and

1973 are known currently 1973 are known currently

to be stable or improving to be stable or improving

 in status. in status. in status.
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Why Save Threatened

 and Endangered Species?

Economics: Economic

 benefits provided by

a plant or animal species

are lost if the species

becomes extinct. For

example, the chinook

salmon population in the

Pacific Northwest

has supported valuable

commercial and recreational

fisheries, providing food

and generating jobs and

income for many people.

Any decline in the salmon

populations means a

they are studied, their chemical secrets will disappear with

them.

Agriculture: Thomas Jefferson wrote that “the greatest

service which can be rendered any country is to add a

useful plant to its culture, especially a grain.” Botanists

estimate that, of the more than 30,000 species of edible

plants, less than 20 produce 90 percent of the world’s food.

Plant collectors currently are seeking out remaining wild

strains of crops, such as wheat and corn that can be used to

develop hybrid species that are more resistant to crop

diseases, pests, and marginal climatic conditions. Also,

chemists recently found a compound derived from the

endangered Archbold mint that is highly repellant to insects.

decline in the number of fish that can be harvested, resulting

in an economic loss.

Medicine: Nature is a storehouse of potential medicines that

can be used to treat a wide variety of diseases.

Approximately 50 percent of prescribed medicines are

derived from substances found in plants and animals. The

Pacific yew tree, for example, provides an anti-cancer

substance, the rosy periwinkle yields drugs to treat

childhood leukemia, and the foxglove plant provides

digitalis, an important heart medicine. Recently, a new

cancer medication was developed from a compound isolated

from the Asian mayapple, which is found only in India and

Pakistan and is imperiled. If species become extinct before
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Aesthetic/Spiritual: Species and their ecosystems provide

essential aesthetic, spiritual, and quality-of-life values to the

citizens of our country and its visitors. Many religions teach

stewardship of the Earth and respect for nature as God’s

creation.

Recreational: “Eco-tourism,” a new industry developing

throughout the world, is based on the fact that many people

are willing to pay for the chance to experience nature,

including native plants and animals. An increasing number of

people are planning their vacations around the enjoyment of

wildlife or wildlife activities, such as whale watching. In

1991, an estimated 76 million people in the United States

participated in bird-related recreation.

Species of plants and animals are sometimes compared to

books in a library. Conservation ensures that the libraries we

leave our children will not be empty, but instead will be full

of secrets that can be unlocked, discovered, and enjoyed for

years to come. Nobody knows which species may be

essential in the future or what is lost when a species goes

extinct. But one thing is certain: Extinction is Forever. Why

should we save endangered and threatened plants and

animals? BECAUSE WE CAN.
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Tan Riffleshell

A coordinated recovery effort among the Service, other

Federal, State, and local agencies, conservation

organizations, and individual citizens has set the stage

for implementing recovery activities for the tan

riffleshell mussel. A recent mollusk survey discovered

two populations of this endangered mussel. The

populations were healthy and rebounding and were

found to be reproducing. Additional research efforts

on the species’ life history is essential to its recovery.

The Service is reaching out to other partners,

especially local agencies, individuals, and

organizations to enlist their support in protecting this

species by restoring the stream habitat and water

quality that it requires.

Florida scrub jay populations are being protected through the habitat conservation

planning process currently being implemented in the Southeast.

USFWS

Florida Scrub Jay

Habitat protection through land acquisition has made

a major contribution to the recovery of the threatened

Florida scrub jay. A cooperative effort among the

Service, National Aeronautics and Space

Administration, National Park Service, and the State of

Florida in conducting habitat surveys and managing

habitats for scrub jays on public lands is helping to

conserve the species. The National Aeronautics and

Space Administration has banded nearly all scrub jays

on Kennedy Space Center property, and research is

being conducted on the biology of the species to help

ensure its long-term survival. Private landowners,

through the habitat conservation planning process, are

critical partners in the conservation of this Florida

species.
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The Service, along with numerous cooperators is developing a Multi-Species Recovery Plan to address the recovery of all federally-listed species in the South Florida Ecosystem.

Richard Frear/National Park Service

Seventy-two percent of the Seventy-two percent of the Seventy-two percent of the

species listed as of species listed as of species listed as of

September 30, 1996, September 30, 1996, September 30, 1996,

have final recovery plans; have final recovery plans; have final recovery plans;

an additional 12 percent an additional 12 percent an additional 12 percent

have draft plans that have draft plans that have draft plans that

outline recovery strategies. outline recovery strategies. outline recovery strategies.