Biology - Wildlife: Terrestrial and Endangered Resources Program
Imperiled SpeciesThe USGS Wildlife: Terrestrial and Endangered Species Program conducts research and monitoring to conserve, protect, and restore declining species and the habitats they depend on. We support the Department of the Interior agencies that manage over 500 million acres of land and waters, or about one-fifth of the land in the United States, including:
To meet the science needs of these agencies, as well as States and other private and public organizations, the USGS conducts investigations on species listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA), the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and other Federal and State laws and regulations. Working with our partners, we are focusing research on efforts to restore species listed under ESA. USGS studies how ecosystems and species interact to find ways to keep ecosystems functioning and species populations healthy. We are also conducting research on "candidate" species, that is, species that are thought to be a risk but have not yet been listed as threatened or endangered under ESA. Listed below are examples of research projects available online and general information from USGS about the condition of declining, threatened, and endangered species and habitats.
For samples of USGS research on Imperiled Aquatic Species see research pages of the USGS Fisheries: Aquatic and Endangered Resources Program:
CLIMATE CHANGE AND IMPERILED SPECIES
INTERACTION OF SPECIES AT-RISK WITH INVASIVE SPECIES
RESTORING LANDSCAPES AND IMPERILED COMMUNITIES
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In the Spotlight
Imperiled Species
is a general term used to identify species and populations of animals and plants that are in decline and may be in danger of extinction. Many imperiled species have legal protection under Federal laws such as the Endangered Species Act or under State statutes. Many species, however, are not being protected because of a lack of knowledge about their status and the environmental factors that may threaten their future. As the principal research agency for the U.S. Department of the Interior, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is conducting research to fill the gaps in our understanding so that imperiled species can be better managed and conserved.
For more information on USGS Imperiled Species research SEE ALSO: Restoration Science and Technology and Imperiled Aquatic Species pages, representing components of USGS Fisheries: Aquatic and Endangered Resources Program research Featured PublicationsRegehr, E.V., Amstrup, S.C., Stirling, Ian, 2006. Polar Bear Population Status in the Southern Beaufort Sea: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2006 - 1337 Advanced Systems Data for Mapping Emperor Penguin Habitats in Antarctica. Download the Report. (507.78 KB, PDF--get Adobe Reader) Additional ResourcesU.S. Endangered and Threatened Species List - the official list of plants and animals protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, maintained by the Endangered Species Program of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.Endangered and Threatened Marine Species protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act from the Office of Protected Resources of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce. World Conservation Union (also known as the IUCN) Red List Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) - the official list of species regulated in international commerce. |
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Imperiled Species
Interaction of Species-at-Risk with Invasive Species: a Federal Research Perspective. Presentation by Rachel Muir, Imperiled Species Coordinator, given at the Aquatic Plant Management Society Annual Meeting, Nashville, TN, July 2007. 
Adelie penguins are among the 12 species of penguins that the Center of Biological Diversity (CBD) petitioned to list under the Endangered Species Act. While there are other threads may endanger or cause their extinction in the foreseeable future, climate change is seen as the principal concern for declining penguin populations.