The eastern massasauga rattlesnake is a candidate for Federal listing as an endangered or threatened species, and was the recent subject of an international symposium held in Toronto, and a state recovery team meeting held in Illinois. - Photo by M. Redmer©.

On Oct. 19, 2005, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Chicago Illinois Field Office convened the inaugural meeting of the state's first Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake Recovery Team (EMRT).  The eastern massasauga (Sistrurus c. catenatus) is a Federal candidate for listing as a threatened or endangered species.  In addition it is listed as "endangered" by nine of the 10 states (including Illinois) where it occurs, and a species of "special concern" in the remaining state.  

The Illinois DNR and the CIFO first began informal discussions on forming a state recovery team in late 2004, and agreed that the Illinois DNR would coordinate team activities, but both agencies would serve as co-lead stakeholders. 

The framework adopted for the EMRT is based loosely on the Service's own recovery team and planning process.  The initial team will consist of four committees: (1) Population Biology/Genetics, (2) Land Management, (3) Captive Husbandry/Health, and (4) Human Dimensions/Outreach.  The committees are meant to work interchangeably, and will be comprised of representatives from local and state land management agencies that have authority over habitat occupied by eastern massasaugas, as well as in-state massasauga experts, and/or biologists specializing in population genetics, population modeling, and human dimensions/outreach.  A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (with recent massasauga experience) is a member, as are representatives from the Lincoln Park (Chicago) and St. Louis Zoos.

The first task of the committees will be to identify measures needed to conserve the eastern massasauga at sites where declining populations still occur.  These measures would then be potential components to be addressed in a statewide recovery plan compiled or contracted by Illinois DNR.

After the meeting concluded, Mr. Joe Kath (Illinois DNR Terrestrial Endangered Species Project Manager) stated: " The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is very pleased to partner with the Service, local land managers, and other experts in an effort to restore and manage populations of this unique species throughout Illinois.  We believe this collaborative effort will facilitate a greater understanding of this species' ecology, and will contribute to its recovery, here, and elsewhere in the midwest."