Posts Tagged ‘ threatened species ’

Western Frog May Go On Endangered Species List

October 28, 2009
By

Once common throughout the West, the Northern Leopard Frog may be in serious trouble.

Northern Leopard Frog. Photo by Shaula Hedwall, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Northern Leopard Frog. Photo by Shaula Hedwall, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Over the past 30 years, the frog’s population has fallen dramatically in 19 Western and Midwest states. The reasons include loss of habitat to development and drought. The frog is also battling new predators, such as bullfrogs, crayfish and sport fish, which were introduced into the frog’s environment. Scientists are also looking at how disease and pesticides may play a role in the frog’s decline.

All this explains why the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering naming the Northern Leopard Frog as a threatened or endangered species in the West. FWS began studying the issue over the summer and today says it will extend the public comment period to November 27. Here in the Pacific Northwest, the states that could be affected by this ruling include Oregon, Washington, Idaho and California.

If FWS decides some kind of protection is necessary, then the next step would be to set aside certain areas as “critical habitat” for the frog.

It’s asking for people to leave comments at Regulations.gov.

For more information on the Northern Leopard Frog, see this FWS webpage.

Rare Seabird Remains Protected, How Will It Impact Logging?

June 17, 2009
By

One of nature’s most interesting seabirds, the Marbled Murrelet will remain protected as a threatened species.  The bird was first listed in 1992 and survived an attempt by the Bush Administration to take it off the list in 2004.

Today’s decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service could have a major impact on the continuing fight over old growth forests in the Pacific Northwest.  That’s because even though the bird spends much of its life in the ocean, it nests in old growth forests along the coast.  The decision says logging of the bird’s nesting habitat is the major reason its numbers have declined 34% from 2001 to 2008 in Oregon, Washington and Northern California.

Courtesy U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Courtesy U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Environmental groups praised the decision as a victory for science over politics, and called on the Obama Administration to do more to protect old growth areas.  Kristen Boyles, an attorney for Earthjustice, says the ruling will benefit other species.  She says, ““Protecting murrelet forests also helps recover salmon and spotted owl populations, clean our air from excess carbon, and prevent pollution from entering drinking water sources for communities all up and down the coast.”

Timber groups haven’t given up on trying to delist the Marbled Murrelet.  They’ve got a petition to delist before Fish and Wildlife.  Despite today’s announcement, the feds haven’t decided how they’ll rule on the petition.

NOAA: Pesticides “Threaten” Northwest Salmon and Steelhead

April 21, 2009
By
Columbia River Salmon Courtesy WDFW

Columbia River Salmon Courtesy WDFW

Three pesticides have been added to a growing list of chemicals that are considered a threat to endangered and threatened salmon and steelhead populations across the Northwest.

That finding, just released by NOAA Fisheries, covers pesticides containing carbaryl, carbofuran, and methomyl.  The pesticides are used in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and California on a wide variety of crops including fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains.

Exposure to these chemicals can kill salmon, or damage their central nervous systems, making it harder for them to catch food, avoid predators and spawn.   An even bigger problem is that when these chemicals wash into streams and rivers, they kill the aquatic insects that salmon eat.

Read more »