Check Out This Conservation News!

by | Jun 20, 2023 | Chris Anderson, Conservation, Extinction, Habitat, North America, United States

There’s been some interesting conservation news recently. The US Fish & Wildlife Service has been taking steps to help some at-risk wildlife. Check it out:

Navasota False Foxglove1

This plant can be found in Southeast Texas. It’s a rare plant that blooms annually during autumn. It only makes up about 2 acres of Texas territory. It is threatened by non-native plants, drought, and the effects of climate change. The US Fish & Wildlife Service wants to list it as endangered because it’s at risk of going completely extinct without help.

Rabbitsfoot Mussel2

The Rabbitsfoot Mussel is a freshwater mussel that is considered threatened. Originally, it had been found in over 400 watersheds, but now it’s seen losses of up to 70% throughout its range. The US Fish & Wildlife Service has created a recovery plan for this species in order to help protect it. This plan includes practices like taking some into captivity to breed and then reintroducing them into the wild.

Pearl Darter3

This is a species of fish that could be found in both the Pascagoula River system and the Pearl River system in Mississippi and Louisiana. However, it disappeared from the Pear River system over 50 years ago. It’s considered threatened and has protection under the Endangered Species Act. Threats to this species include pollution, poor water quality, and low genetic diversity. Originally a plan for recovery was drafted last year, and now the plan has been finalized to help the Pearl Darter.

Recovery plans help protect species that are at risk of extinction. When the US Fish & Wildlife Service comes up with a plan, it’s specific to each species. These plans are important because they act as a guide of what steps to follow to protect at-risk species.

Sources:

  1. https://www.fws.gov/press-release/2023-06/rare-texas-plant-proposed-endangered-under-endangered-species-act
  2. https://www.fws.gov/press-release/2023-06/service-announces-availability-final-recovery-plan-rabbitsfoot-mussel
  3. https://www.fws.gov/press-release/2023-06/us-fish-and-wildlife-service-announces-availability-pearl-darter-recovery