2012 Archives

Morelet’s Crocodile.

USFWS

May 23, 2012

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced removal of the Morelet’s crocodile from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) due to recovery of the species. The species is found in Mexico, Belize and Guatemala. Overharvest for commercial purposes was the primary reason for the Morelet’s crocodile being listed under the ESA and its inclusion in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The species remains protected under CITES.

News Release

Under the Endangered Species Act, we can celebrate the successful recovery of the once thought extinct black-footed ferret.

Ryan Hagerty / USFWS

May 15, 2012

On May 18, 2012, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and numerous organizations will honor Endangered Species Day, and the nationwide conservation efforts underway protecting America’s threatened, endangered and at-risk species. The bald eagle, brown pelican, American alligator and Maguire daisy are all species that were on the brink of extinction, but have successfully rebounded. These species are just a few examples of those benefiting from the protections afforded by the Endangered Species Act and the dedicated people who work to ensure their continued existence.

News Release

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Partners for Fish and Wildlife

USFWS

May 11, 2012

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced the extension of a public process exploring the expansion of incentives for voluntary partnerships with private landowners and other land stewards to help conserve imperiled wildlife. This effort is part of the Service’s commitment to use innovative approaches to restore and protect the habitats for wildlife and improve implementation of the Endangered Species Act. The comment period will now close on July 13, 2012.

Bulletin

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This piping plover may look like it has many legs, but it is keeping two chicks under its wing to keep them warm.

Photo Credit: © Jim Fenton, 2010

April 23, 2012

The latest edition of the Endangered Species Bulletin highlights the work of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists and partners to ensure that future generations may continue to enjoy the many benefits that birds bring to our lives. Birds play a significant ecological, economic and cultural role in our lives. Success in recovering endangered bird populations — and those of so many other imperiled species — depends on collaboration. A key part of the effort to recover these species has been our partnerships with state and local governments, other federal agencies, non-government organizations and private citizens who come together with a shared mission to conserve birds and the habitat they depend on.

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Woodland Caribou, painted by Sky Waters from Minnesota, was selected as the grand prize winner of the 2012 Endangered Species Day Youth Art Contest. Credit: copy from Endangered Species Coalition.

Credit: copy from Endangered Species Coalition.

April 19, 2012

The grand prize winner of the Endangered Species Day Youth Art Contest is 11-year old Sky Waters from Minnesota. His painting of a woodland caribou was selected from more than 2,100 submissions. Five winners were also selected based on grade categories. This art contest is a partnership between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Endangered Species Coalition, Association of Zoos and Aquariums and Ogden Museum of Southern Art/University of New Orleans, and is an integral part of the seventh annual national Endangered Species Day on May 18, 2012.

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Biologist collects swab sample from an Indiana bat.

Ann Froschauer / USFWS

April 6, 2012

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced seven grant awards totaling approximately $1.4 million to continue the investigation of white-nose syndrome (WNS) in bats, and to identify ways to manage it. The disease has killed more than 5.5 million hibernating bats in eastern North America since it was discovered near Albany, New York in 2006.

News Release
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Miami blue butterfly.

Holly Salvato

April 5, 2012

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is formally listing the Miami blue butterfly, a small, coastal, non-migratory butterly, as endangered. This action permanently protects the butterfly under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and follows and emergency listing which had temporarily protected it for 240 days.

News Release

In a historic initiative, a recovery team released 24 endangered Nihoa millerbirds on Laysan Island in the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument culminating decades of research and planning to save a species from extinction.

H. Freifeld /USFWS

March 20, 2012

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced recipients of the 2011 Recovery Champion award, which honors Service employees and partners for outstanding efforts to conserve and protect endangered and threatened species of fish, wildlife, and plants. A total of 56 teams and nine individuals were honored as Recovery Champions for work to conserve species ranging from the polar bear in Alaska to the Appalachian elktoe mussel and spotfin chub in North Carolina.

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Partners for Fish and Wildlife

USFWS

March 14, 2012

The Department of the Interior today announced the start of a public process to explore expanding incentives for voluntary partnerships with private landowners and other land stewards to help conserve imperiled wildlife. The effort is part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's commitment to use innovative approaches to restore and protect the habitats for wildlife, improve implementation of the Endangered Species Act, and to strengthen local economies by preserving working lands.

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Partners for Fish and Wildlife

USFWS

March 8, 2012

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced a new $33 million partnership with farmers, ranchers and forest landowners to use innovative approaches to restore and protect the habitats for wildlife, including seven at-risk species and other vulnerable game species. Under this strategy, federal, state and local wildlife experts jointly identify at-risk species that would benefit from targeted habitat restoration investments on private lands. The announcement of the Working Lands for Wildlife partnership follows last week's White House Conference on Conservation that spotlighted community-driven conservation efforts as part of President Obama's America's Great Outdoors Initiative.

News Release

Working Lands for Wildlife Species Map (USDA)

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Northern Spotted Owl

USFWS

March 1, 2012

In compliance with an order from a U.S. District Court, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a science-based critical habitat proposal for the northern spotted owl that begins a public review process to determine what forest lands should be designated as critical habitat in a final rule that will be published in November. This proposal recommends substantially increasing active management of forests, consistent with ecological forestry principles, in areas designated as critical habitat.

News Release

Fact Sheet

Presidential Memorandum

Barred Owl Draft EIS

Northern Spotted Owl Proposed Revised Critical Habitat

Map of the Proposed Critical Habitat for Northern Spotted Owl

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The mountain yellow-legged frog, listed as endangered since July 2, 2002, as depicted by Amanda Garcia from Murrieta, California, one of the 2011 Youth Art Contest semi-finalists.

Endangered Species Coalition

February 8, 2012

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Endangered Species Coalition, Association of Zoos and Aquariums and Ogden Museum of Southern Art/University of New Orleans announce the launch of the 2012 Endangered Species Day Youth Art Contest. The competition offers K-12th grade students an opportunity to learn about endangered species and express their knowledge and support through artwork. Endangered Species Day, taking place on May 18, 2012, recognizes the conservation programs nationwide aimed at protecting America's threatened and endangered species. Entries for the contest must be postmarked by March 15, 2012.

Bulletin

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Karner blue butterfly.

Joel Trick/USFWS

February 2, 2012

The Interior Department's U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service, the two federal agencies responsible for administering the Endangered Species Act, today announced a 30-day extension of the public comment period on a draft policy interpreting the phrase "significant portion of its range" (SPR) in the ESA's definitions of "endangered species" and "threatened species." The notice will publish in the Federal Register on February 07, 2012. Comments must be received on or before March 08, 2012.

Bulletin

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Salt marshes at Quivira National Wildlife Refuge in provide habitat to over 311 bird species, including the endangered whooping crane.

USFWS

February 2, 2012

World Wetlands Day occurs each year on February 2 to highlight the importance of wetlands to wildlife and people around the globe. Thirty sites across the United States are designated Wetlands of International Importance by the Ramsar Wetlands Convention. Many factors go into designation, but all of the sites have unique biology, incredible diversity, and provide important habitat for some of our nation's rarest species.

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List of U.S. Ramsar Sites

Scimitar-horned oryx.

© National Zoo

January 30, 2012

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recognizes the important contribution captive breeding has made to the continued survival of three African antelope species—the scimitar-horned oryx, addax, and dama gazelle. Many game ranches within the United States have been breeding and maintaining these species on their properties and, as a result of strong management practices, have offered hunting of these species as a way to manage the size and health of their herds. As a result of a Court ruling, the Service published a final rule on January 5, 2012, to require ranchers to obtain permits for these activities under the Endangered Species Act with U.S. captive-bred animals and sport-hunted trophies of the three endangered African antelope species. The rule goes into effect on April 4, 2012. The agency is actively working to streamline the permitting process and minimize any burden on the public with regard to issuing permits and authorizations for activities under the ESA. Working together we can ensure that United States ranches continue in the long tradition of wildlife conservation for the benefit of these endangered species.

Myths and Facts

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