Stephens' Kangaroo Rat

Stephens’ Kangaroo Rat

By: Nick Major

Drafted For: BIO 227-01; Fall 2017; L. Needles

Description and Ecology

The Stephens’ Kangaroo Rat, or Dipodomys stephensi, is one of 19 kangaoo rats belonging to the Heteromyidae family, which is a family of rats which is related more to squirrels than other rats or mice. The Stephens’ Kangaroo Rat has large hind legs, small front legs, a long tail, and large check pouches to store food. The length of an adult is around 9 to 12 inches, including the tail. The fur of the rat is a cinnamon-colored, soft fur. The Stephens’ Kangaroo Rat was pronounced endangered on September 30, 1988, but has a recovery priority of 2C, meaning that it is endangered, but it is has a high potential for recovery. The ‘C’ at the end of the priority indicates that the species’ recovery may interfere with building or economic development.

Stephens’ Kangaroo Rat is endemic to Southern California areas, primarily San Bernardino, San Juaquin, and Riverside counties. Their habitat of the rat is grassland with little vegetation, which has been renovated into farms recently in Southern California and has forced this Kangaroo Rat into endangerment.

The rat does not have any use to humans, especially sine it’s small size, but it occupies land which humans want to develop into farms or urban cities, which threatens almost all areas the Kangaroo Rat occupies.

Geographic and Population Changes

The Stephens’ Kangaroo Rat’s range is primarily the western side Riverside County, extending into San Diego County. Their habitat consists of sparsely vegetated flatlands, which were plentiful in the area prior to endangerment. The rats are said to stay in the area due to the hills and mountains surrounding them, forcing them into one area. In 2008, it was determined that the species population was still declining and is severely fragmented. Ecologists found over 65 Stephens’ Kangaroo Rat sites occupied by the species which were under 40 hectares. The total adult population size is above 10,000, but severe fragmentation threatens this size, as number continue to decrease yearly, which has led to the endangered classification of the Kangaroo rat. The map to the right shows the small area the Stephens’ Kangaroo Rat occupies, which makes it an easy target for extinction, being that most sites of the species are in a small geographic range.

Listing Date and Type

The Stephen’s Kangaroo Rat was originally listed as threatened in 1971, and was later named endangered on September 30, 1988. The Kangaroo Rat has a listing type of 2C, meaning that it is not a very high priority because it has a high potential to be able to come back out of endangerment. The ‘C’ in the classification indicates that the recovery of the Stephens’ Kangaroo Rat will interfere with building or economic plans for humans in the future. With a high-fitness environment, the population is expected to rise again at a steady pace, hence the low priority placed on this species.

Cause of Listing and Main Threats of Extinction

The main cause of the decline in Stephens’ Kangaroo Rats is that the land occupied by these animals is highly sought by both private owners and city agencies, specifically for farmland or urban development. Most of the species live on private land and have actually been poisoned and killed in order to continue development without and consequences from the rats. Another threat to habitats of the species are non-native grasses, which grow alongside the Kangaroo Rats in their native environment and cause them to leave the area and move to a new location or site.

Description of Recovery Plan

Many agencies have come together to protect this species and similar species in the area, on a federal, state, and local level. From the federal jurisdiction, US Navy, Marines, and Air Force bases are working to protect land that this species lives on and have drafted their own management plans for the areas they are located in. The FWS has rallied support to help survey population as well as get a more specific range on the species, which has raised enough money to be able to get a better estimate on population size as well as a very precise range of the species. Multiple organizations, including the Bureau of Land Management have sent out parcels attempting to rally support for the conservation of these animals on a civilian level. The Lake Mathews Ecological Reserve and the San Jacinto Wildlife Area have been established and offer a protected environment for the species, which has allowed them to raise population slowly. The FWS is also trying to get a large reserve for the rats, which have a recommended habitat size of 1320 hectares.

Local agencies have a 4 step plan for conservation. 1) They will establish a core reservation system in the San Jacinto County area. 2) Work with the local land management bureau to ensure the land is maintained in a way that will keep the species population expanding. 3) Limit migrating species into the Kangaroo Rat’s habitat that compete with them or pray on them. 4) Expand the currently habitat conservation area of Stephens’ Kangaroo Rat by 1030 hectares. Most of the funding will be from the Riverside County Wildlife foundation, which will provide $11.6 million between conservation costs and habitat acquisition. The conservation effort ensures that the reserves are spread among the Kangaroo Rat’s natural range in order to keep them in their local communities.

The overall protection plan for these Kangaroo Rats is to conserve the land they live on and make sure that development cannot interfere with the regrowth of the Stephens’ Kangaroo Rat in the future. The recovery plan was implemented in the later 90s and is still ongoing in order to make sure the species grows, which it has not yet done.

What Can You Do?

Since most of the agencies running the conservation are government agencies, they don’t typically take donations. However, the Fish and Wildlife Service does accept donations, which can be made out to a certain cause (e.g. Stephens’ Kangaroo Rat conservation). By doing that, you ensure the donation goes directly to the cause you requested. You can also show support for the plan by writing to the Riverside Habitat Conservation Agency.

What Can You Do?

Riverside County Habitat Conservation Agency: http://www.skrplan.org/contact_us.html

FWS Stephens’ Kangaroo Rat Page: https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp0/profile/speciesProfile?spcode=A08Q

IUCN Page: http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/summary/6682/0

Dipodomys stephensi . (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2017, from http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/summary/6682/0

Stephens’ Kangaroo Rat Recovery Plan. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2017, from https://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/970623.pdf

Service, U. F. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2017, from https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp0/reports/implementation-activity-status-ore-report?documentId=400324&entityId=39

Chappell, M. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2017, from http://faculty.ucr.edu/~chappell/INW/mammals/SKR.shtml

Chiricahua Leopard Frog - David Klopp

Chiricahua Leopard Frog
by David Klopp

Organism Description and Ecology

The Chiricahua leopard frog, known by the scientific name Rana chiricahuensis, tends to be an olive to dark green overall color with darker spots throughout the body. Ranging anywhere from 2.0 to 5.5 inches in length, the frog is considered to be medium-to-large sized compared to other frog species. The Chiricahua leopard frog can be found in a variety of aquatic habitats with calm water and a low pH. They inhabit creeks, lakes, ponds and man-made habitats mainly in the grassland, woodland or chaparral biomes. Males have a very unique mating call that sounds like a prolonged snore (see video below!). Tadpoles take 2-9 months to grow into an adult and can live up to 14 years.

Geographic and Population Changes

The geographic range of the Chiricahua leopard frog falls into two main sections:

1) Mexico, Southwestern New Mexico and Southeastern Arizona.

This southern group makes up the bulk of the species’ range. The group can be found to the south of the Gila River in the valleys and mountain ranges

2) West-Central New Mexico and Central/Eastern Arizona.

This group is smaller than the southern group and falls in the northern mountains of New Mexico as well as around the Mogollon Rim in Arizona.

In terms of the population of the Chiricahua leopard frog, the exact number still in existence is not clear. Although the Chiricahua leopard frogs remain dispersed relatively well in their population ranges, the species has disappeared from about 88% of its historical localities in Arizona specifically since the late 1990s. Within the entire southwest region, the Chiricahua is now found in fewer than 80 sites compared to the 400 sites they once inhabited.

The charts below give a more in depth analysis of the geographic distribution and changes throughout the year:

Predicted Distribution
http://www.azgfd.gov/w_c/edits/images/Lithchir_001.gif

Change in Geographic Range
https://returntothewildarizona.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/clf_
recoveryunits1.jpg

https://www.fws.gov/southeast/images/svg/logo.svg

Listing Date and Type of Listing

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the Chiricahua leopard frog as threatened without critical habitat on June 13, 2002. It is classified as 2C priority meaning there is a high degree of threat but also high chance for recovery.

Cause of Listing and Main Threats to its Continued Existence

There are multiple factors that have lead to the threatened state of the Chiricahua leopard frog. One of the more prevalent threats to the species is an infectious waterborne skin disease called chytridomycete which is caused by fungus. Another danger to the species is predation. Crayfish, bullfrogs and various fish prey on the leopard frog. The last of the major threats are habitat degradation, due to the drainage of water through various activities, and damage to eggs from rising levels of UV radiation. All of these have contributed to the current fragile state of the Chiricahua leopard frog.

Crayfish
https://natureinquiries.files.wordpress.com/2015/04
/wr-crayfish-adult-3a.jpg

Bullfrog
https://s-i.huffpost.com/gen/2400230/images/o-BULLF
ROG-facebook.jpg

Description of Recovery Plan

There are six essential elements of the recovery plan with the goal of preserving the Chiricahua leopard frog within its historical range:

https://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/Documents/R2ES/DRAFT_
Recovery_Plan_for_the_Chiricahua_Leopard_Frog_
with_Appendices.pdf

1. Ensure the protection of the remaining species’ habitats and population

2. Create supplemental habitats and form additional populations in the eight existing Recovery Units (areas where metapopulations can thrive)

3. Track recovery progress throughout the implementation period

4. Continue to study the conservation biology of the species to ensure an efficient recovery

5. Establish various partnerships to assist in the recovery

6. Continue to adapt and revise the recovery plan as new findings rise from the research and study of the species

The minimum estimated total cost of the recovery is $3,413,000. If the recovery measures are put in place according to plan and the criteria are met successfully, then the delisting of the Chiricahua leopard frog as a threatened species could occur as early as 2035.

The delisting criteria for the Chiricahua leopard frog is rather broad. The species will be delisted when the following all occurs:

• Two or more metapopulations and one or more isolated populations  showing longevity occur in each Recovery Unit
• Aquatic breeding habitats exist for these metapopulations and robust populations that are in line with what was described in the recovery plan
• The additional habitat essential for population connectivity is implemented according to the recovery plan
• Threats to the species are either reduced or eliminated

What Can You Do?

There are multiple ways that you can help the Chiricahua leopard frog species:

• Be wary of your water use in order to maintain the leopard frog’s habitat and wetlands. Also, try to take shorter showers and turn off the sink while brushing your teeth.
• Volunteer your services and participate in projects put on by the following government and nonprofit organizations:
• Arizona Game and Fish Department
• Arizona Trail and the Tadpole Taskforce
• Be knowledgeable about the amphibian species and the conditions they need to live a healthy life.

Other Resources

If you would like to learn more about Chiricahua leopard frog or find other ways to help with conservation of the species please take a look at the websites listed below:

Center for Biological Diversity
http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/amphibians/Chiricahua_leopard_frog/index.html

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp0/profile/speciesProfile?spcode=D02F

Arizona Game and Fish Department
https://www.azgfd.gov/i_e/ee/resources/field_notes/amph/leopard_frog.pdf

Bibliography

Brennan, Thomas. Chiricahua Leopard Frog (Lithobates chiricahuensis) - Amphibians of  ...........Arizona, www.reptilesofaz.org/Turtle-Amphibs-Subpages/h-l-chiricahuensis.html.

Hilton, Al. “Lithobates chiricahuensis (Chiricahua Leopard Frog).” Animal Diversity ...........Web, animaldiversity.org/accounts/Lithobates_chiricahuensis/.

Sredl, Michael. “ Rana chiricahuensis.” AmphibiaWeb, amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query? ...........where-genus=Rana&where-species=chiricahuensis.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Species Profile for Chiricahua leopard frog (Lithobates ...........chiricahuensis), ecos.fws.gov/ecp0/profile/speciesProfile?spcode=D02F.





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The American Ocelot- Aidan James Marvick

http://dinoanimals.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Leopardus-1-949x475.jpg

The American Ocelot

By: Aidan James Marvick

Bio 227-01; Fall 2017; L. Needles

            Description and ecology of organism:

            The Ocelot, Leopardus pardalis, is a medium sized cat, 7-16 kg in weight, somewhere between a cheetah and a fat house cat. Its facial structure is characterized by roundness; the ocelot has rounded ears, large round eyes and a fluffy round mouth. The patterning of its fur is characterized by two black striped across the cheeks which fun down the neck and chains of black spots originating from the forehead, running down the back, and across the body. Its color is lighter on its belly, bordering on white, and fades into a burnt cinnamon color towards the top of its back (the overall tone of the fur can range from a desaturated grey to the full burnt cinnamon). This cat is a strikingly cute predator, which, in the wild could surely be considered majestic.

https://news.nationalgeographic.com

/content/dam/news/photos/000/802

/80251.ngsversion.1422282967121.adapt.1900.1.jpg

Thornscrub

https://www.fws.gov/news/blog

/images/open-spaces-blog/115ocelot-by-Seth-Patterson.jpg

The Ocelot has been broken down into 11 different sub-species due to it wide range, stretching from the southwestern United States all the way to northern Argentina. The Sub-species covered by the Recovery Plan under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) are commonly the Texas Ocelot and the Sonora Ocelot. These ocelots range from the southern tip of Texas into the Tamaulipas region of Mexico and from southern Arizona into the Sonora region of Mexico respectively. The Texas Ocelot has a semi-arid costal grassland habitat, while the Sonora Ocelot has a semi-arid thornscurb habitat. The other sub-species of Ocelot can range from desert-like habitats all the way to rainforests and jungles. The Ocelot is a predator here and uses its heightened nocturnal senses and skill of swimming to hunt rabbits and rodents as well as iguanas, fish, and frogs.

            Geographic and population changes?:

Habitat Range
http://www.catsg.org/typo3temp/pics/664b6cc6aa.jpg

            In the late 19^th century these two subspecies of Ocelot ranged further into the United States. The Texas Ocelot lived throughout southern and eastern Texas with evidence of them extending as far as Louisiana, while the Sonora Ocelot maintained its range to southeastern Arizona. Recently and currently, the two subspecies have been pushed to the extreme southern portions of their respective states, largely due to human population growth and development, habitat fragmentation and loss, commercial exploitation and illegal hunting, and the US Mexico border. It is estimated that the prehistoric range of this creature could have extended as far north as Ohio and now it is blockaded by human expansion, grasping at the southern corners of our country.

American Habitat
http://cronkitenews.asu.edu/assets/images/11/02/9-ocelot-map-full.jpg

             In 1986, 120 Ocelots were estimated to live in lower Texas; currently, there are 19. This population is severely fragmented, with up to 30 km between individuals, and further still, it is cut off from the rest of its sub-species 200 km south of the border. This greater population is estimated to be at a number of 874 individuals. The striking thing about the Texas population is their habitat can now only serve an estimated 38 individuals, when 30 years ago it held 120. Not only is the population decreasing at an alarming rate, but the habitat which they used to claim will soon be gone. 95% of the dense thornscrub which the Ocelot claims as its habitat has been converted to agriculture lands in Texas. In the Arizona portion of the Sonora population there are no estimates for number of individuals, yet there are four known individuals to exist there now. The greater Sonora region is home to approximately 1,421 individuals. The Ocelots in Arizona are believed to be threatened by the difficulties of the border and manmade infringements on its habitat. The ocelot is in significant peril of no longer existing in the United States.

            Listing date and type of listing:

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            The Ocelot was first listed in 1972 as endangered under the Endangered Species Conservation Act of 1969. Then, in 1974, under the Endangered Species act of 1973, the Ocelot was relisted. This listing covered USA to Central and South America, and was primarily the result of trapping and illegal trade for pets and skins. The listing type is 5C, which means a high level of threat with a low potential of recovery due to a high level of conflict with human development interests. CITIES, as of 1990, banned the trade of Ocelots and listed all subspecies as having threat of extinction. However, the Red List by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists them as Least Concern. This listing assumes that all Ocelot populations are linked, and they have a combined minimum of 50,000 individuals. In 2008, the IUCN formally recognized the fragmentation of the populations and subspecies and showed many of the populations to be threatened and decreasing.

         Cause of listing and main threats:

Ocelot Pelt on the right
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            While the Ocelot was originally listed due to trade, the primary cause of the listing today is habitat conversion, fragmentation, and loss. Much of the land which Ocelots claim as their habitat is being turned into agricultural developments, divided up by roads, and restricted by human borders and pollution. As stated before, 95% of the Texas habitat for Ocelots has been converted into lands for human use, i.e. agriculture and urban development. This habitat degradation and destruction is not only local to the United States, it exists across the range of the species as a whole. While Illegal killing of the Ocelot has dwindled, it is still a significant threat. In fact, many of the confirmed siting’s we have of Ocelots come from those killed on roads and in cities. This death, as well as overharvesting of its prey, habitat loss and fragmentation, and the forced isolation of the species due to this, has driven Ocelots into the endangered species category.

            Description of recovery plan:

            The road to recovery for the Ocelot is a long one. If the recovery plan is implemented, it is estimated the Ocelot could be downlisted from endangered to threated by the year 2085 and delisted completely in the year 2115. To meet these goals, a strategy has been put into place:

First, is the protection and restoration of the Ocelots thornscrub habitat in Texas and Arizona. There has to be room for the Ocelot to grown before anything can be done.

Second, is to put previsions in place where highways are fenced with under/over passes, developments won’t fragment the population as it grows, and fatalities don’t occur from human intervention.

Third, is to maintain and improve the genetic fitness of the Ocelot population and monitor the animals’ health. This involves introducing new breading pairs into the borderlands from further south and decreasing overall fragmentation with habitat corridors.

Fourth, is to educate the population on protecting the Ocelot and incentivizing landowners to maintain habitat for the Ocelot with tax breaks and grants. This will help ensure the long-term viability of the animal so humans don’t infringe on the habitat down the road.

Lastly, it is important to consistently monitor the Ocelot with planned Bi-national recovery teams between America and Mexico ensuring the recovery efforts respond consistently to new information. This includes reacting to and supporting the efforts internationally which protect the species as a whole.

            To effectively downlist the Ocelot, the Red List status of the Ocelot needs to maintain at “Least Concern”, and the threats of habitat loss and poaching need to not put the animal in peril of extinction. There also needs to be a population of at least 200 Ocelots in Texas with either a 150 ocelot meta-population or two populations of 75 ocelots each. In both cases there needs to be sufficient genetic variability and have a connection to a population of 1000 in Mexico. And finally, there needs to be a meta-population of 1000 Ocelots in the Sonora region which includes Arizona. All of which needs to be maintained for five continuous years.

            To ultimately delist the ocelot, it needs to maintain the downlisting criterion for 10 more consecutive years with another population in Texas of 75 more Ocelots which have branched back into the currently unoccupied historical range of the animal. All habitat corridors and linkages need to also be maintained so as to have little to no fragmentation and the Red List listing needs to stay at “Least Concern,” only then will the Ocelot be delisted in America.

            What can you do?:

https://media.koreus.com/201611/ocelot-regard.jpg

            The final recovery of the Ocelot in America is quite a lofty goal, and is estimated to cost a total of $343,972,000.00. That’s a lot of coin. $126,117,000.00 needs to be raised just to fund the first six years. This is the budget of a creature listed as 5C, high threat, low likelihood of recovery. The most prudent thing you can do to help is to donate to the recovery effort. Some of the last remaining American Ocelots live in the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge (LANWR) in Texas and they offer many ways to help. A fun one, if you are from Texas, you can buy a save the Ocelot License plate which has an image of the majestic creature on it, which two thirds of the proceeds go directly to the Ocelot recovery. And, who wouldn’t want an Ocelot on their car. The creature is gorgeous. You can also do things like Adopt an Ocelot and get a certificate showing you the picture of the Ocelot or Ocelot family. The link to this is down below in other resources.

            You can also donate to other organizations such as American Forest which protects and revitalizes the natural habitat of the Ocelot in Texas, part of the first major step in the Ocelot Recovery plan. Or, Gladys Porter Zoo, which funds veterinarian doctors to do health evaluations on all Ocelots found in LANWR ensuring they survival of as many individuals as possible. The link to both are listed below. If you really don’t have money to spare, but you still care, please take a minute and write a letter to the Texas legislative representatives and tell them. They won’t do anything unless people like you and me remind them to care. Its either going to take the government to allot tax dollars based on citizen concern, or you, I and everyone else in this country need to give just a dollar to see this majestic creature survives. Thank you.

http://www.defenders.org/sites/default/files/magazine-winter-2013-ocelot-erwin-and-peggy-bauer-wildstock.jpg

Resources:

Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge:  http://friendsoflagunaatascosanationalwildliferefuge.org/

American Forest: https://www.americanforests.org/ways-to-give/donate-now/

Gladys Porter Zoo: http://gpz.org/cause-view/saving-the-american-ocelot/

The official recovery plan: https://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/Ocelot%20Final%20Recovery%20Plan_Signed_July%202016_new%20(1).pdf

IUCN Red List for Ocelots: http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/11509/0

Sources:

Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife. No Species Profile, ecos.fws.gov/ecp0/profile/speciesProfile?sId.

“Leopardus Pardalis .” Leopardus Pardalis (Ocelot), www.iucnredlist.org/details/11509/0.

“Ocelot.” International Society for Endangered Cats (ISEC) Canada, wildcatconservation.org/wild-cats/south-america/ocelot/.