Welcome to the Conservation Catalog!

(don't have access to Amy's font, so can't make a new banner...)

What is conservation and conservation status?

(short definition, using terms found elsewhere in curriculum)

Conservation biology is the scientific study of what affects the maintenance, loss, and restoration of biological diversity. [from Wikipedia] The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to survive either in the present day or the future. Many factors are taken into account when assessing the conservation status of a species: not simply the number remaining, but the overall increase or decrease in the population over time, breeding success rates, known threats, and so on. [also from Wikipedia]

What is an endangered species?

Different groups use different terms for what you think of as an endangered species. In general, it means an animal or plant that is possibly in trouble due to small populations - low abundance.

Are there animals in trouble in Michigan?

Michigan passed an Endangered Species Act in 1994 (PA 451, 1994 Michigan Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act). Michigan has four categories. (Click through to see the animals from the Critter Catalog that fall within each category.)

• Endangered (E)
• Threatened (T)
• Probably Extirpated (X)
• Special Concern (SC)

An endangered species is one that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. A threatened species is one that is likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future. Probably Extirpated means that it is probably extinct in Michigan. [Note: Tricia used US ESA defs for E & T and made up X<]/span>. (define extinction)

Animals or plants listed as special concern (SC) are a little different. They do not currently qualify for legal protection. So what is the "special concern"? Some of the species have declining populations. If the population continues to decline, they would be recommended for Threatened or Endangered status. If we protect the animals now, and help maintain adequate populations, they may avoid the dangerously low population levels that lead to Threatened or Endangered status. Some animals are listed as Special Concern because they seem to be rare, but we just don't know how big their population is. We don't have enough data to be sure.

Learn more about the categories at this web page.

Are there other lists of animals in danger of extinction?

The United States Endangered Species Act has these categories: endangered, threatened, and no special status.

An endangered species is one that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. A threatened species is one that is likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future.

Scientific evidence is used to determine whether or not an animal or plant should be listed. Scientists gather data about the abundance of the animal. They also gather data about threats to its existence. These data are used to make an argument for whether or not the animal should be listed. Once listed, all Federal agencies are required to protect listed species and preserve their habitats. Private individuals are encouraged to manage their land in ways that will protect endangered species

There are also two important international lists for species in danger.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources maintains a "Red List" of Threatened Species. Their categories are:

• Extinct
• Extinct in the wild
• Critically endangered
• Endangered
• Vulnerable
• Lower risk
• Least concern
• Data deficient
• Not evaluated
• No special status

The definitions for these categories are complex. Decisions to list a species relies heavily on scientific data. You can read more about them at the IUCN web site.

Finally, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) maintains lists that govern whether or not people can buy and sell animal products. Their categories are:

• Appendix I
• Appendix II
• Appendix III
• No special status

Where can I learn more about endangered species?

Here we could put a list of good resources on endangered species, such as:

Endangered Species at Fish & Wildlife Service

Another FWS resource

Box Score: list of endangered and threatened species in the US, updated daily