US Fish and Wildlife Service protects 23 species in Guam and NMI under Endangered Species Act
01 Oct 2015
Marianas Variety
(Press Release) — The
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is listing 23 species of plants and
animals on Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands as
threatened or endangered. USFWS is not proposing critical habitat for
these species at this time.
USFWS identified 16 species of plants
and animals as endangered, including the Mariana wandering butterfly,
Langford’s tree snail, and the Mariana subspecies of the Pacific
sheath-tailed bat. These 16 species are at risk of extinction because of
habitat loss and degradation related to development and other
activities, the effects of nonnative species (i.e., through habitat
degradation, predation, and herbivory), and vulnerability as a
consequence of reduced population size and distribution. Seven plant
species are identified as threatened, including four species of orchid
and a cycad (Cycas micronesica).
“These 23 species are facing tremendous
challenges with shrinking habitat and the onslaught of invasive
species,” said Kristi Young, USFWS acting field supervisor for the
Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office. “Most of these species are
known only to Guam and CNMI. It’s imperative we continue to work with
Guam and CMNI leadership, federal agencies, and our partners to save
these important plants and animals.”
USFWS re-evaluated the proposed status
for several plant species based on new data received from CNMI
Department of Land and Natural Resources biologists and the public
during the comment periods. The Service changed the status of five
plants from endangered to threatened because the information revealed
that the species were not as diminished as previously thought.
Critical habitat for these species is
not determinable at this time because more time is needed to analyze the
best available scientific data to identify areas appropriate for such a
designation. The Mariana Islands covered by this listing rule are Guam,
Saipan, Tinian, Aguiguan, Rota, Anatahan, Sarigan, Guguan, Alamagan,
Pagan, and Asuncion.
Five plants are endemic to the island of
Guam — Eugenia bryanii, Hedyotis megalantha (pao dedu, pao
doodu),Phyllanthis saffordii, Psychotria malaspinae (aplokating,
palaoan), and Tinospora homosepala.
Eight plants are known from both Guam
and the CNMI —Bulbophyllum guamense (siboyas halumtanu, siboyan halom
tano), Dendrobium guamense, Heritiera longipetiolata (ufa-halumtanu, ufa
halom tano), Maesa walkeri, Nervilia jacksoniae, Solanum guamense
(biringenas halumtano, birengenas halom tano), Tabernaemontana rotensis,
andTuberolabium guamense.
One plant, Cycas micronesica (fading, faadang), occurs in Guam, the CNMI, Palau and Yap.
Three animals are island endemics — the
Guam tree snail (Partula radiolata; akaleha, denden) is endemic to Guam,
the Rota blue damselfly (Ischnura luta, dulalas Luta, dulalas Luuta) is
endemic to Rota, and Langford’s tree snail (Partula langfordi; akaleha,
devdev) is endemic to Aguiguan.
The remaining six animals are
historically known from both Guam and the CNMI — the Pacific
sheath-tailed bat (Emballonura semicaudata rotensis; payeyi, paischeey),
Slevin’s skink (Emoia slevini; gualiik halumtanu, gholuuf), the Mariana
eight-spot butterfly (Hypolimnas octocula marianensis, ababbang,
libweibwogh), the Mariana wandering butterfly(Vagrans egistina), the
humped tree snail (Partula gibba; akaleha, denden), and the fragile tree
snail (Samoana fragilis; akaleha dogas, denden).
The final rule will publish in the
Federal Register on Oct. 1, 2015. Comments received on the proposed rule
and other supporting information are available at www.regulations.gov.
The docket number for this rulemaking is FWS–R1–ES–2014-0038. For more
information on these species and the final listing, visit http://www.fws.gov/pacificislands/.
