PROTECTION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES AND OTHER NATORAL AND 

 COLTURAL RESOORCES 



WS continued to play a critical role in the 

 recovery of federally listed T&E species 

 around the country. Many organizations, 

 including other Federal agencies, State and 

 local governments, and even private conserva- 

 tion groups, turned to WS to minimize the 

 impacts of predation and other problems that 

 wildlife cause to T&E species. In FY 1999, 

 WS conducted 104 cooperative projects for the 

 protection of 84 T&E species in 26 States, 

 Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Of WS' 

 T&E species direct protection and recovery- 

 enhancement projects, 93 percent benefitted 

 target species. Success is defined as 

 increasing or maintaining populations of T&E 

 species. 



In addition to direct protection of these 

 species, WS plays an important role in the 

 recovery efforts of certain T&E species that 

 periodically cause damage to crops, livestock, 

 and private property. For example, program 

 specialists assisted with the capture and 

 relocation of grizzly bears in Montana, 

 Louisiana black bears in Louisiana and 

 Mississippi, and gray wolves in Montana, 

 Idaho, Wyoming, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. 

 By resolving conflicts caused by T&E species, 

 landowners and producers are more likely to 

 tolerate their presence. 



WS worked closely with FWS in managing five 

 family groups of Mexican wolves reintroduced 

 on the Apache National Forest in southeastern 

 Arizona. WS wolf recovery assistance 

 included participating in public outreach 

 programs, responding to wolf-human 

 conflicts (depredation on livestock and pets), 

 and monitoring and capturing problem wolves. 

 The WS wolf specialist stationed in Arizona 

 played a critical role in Mexican wolf recovery 

 efforts in 1999, and livestock producers and 

 FWS biologists relied heavily on the specialist 

 for damage management expertise. 



As an integral part of the recovery plan for 

 black-footed ferrets, WS removed coyotes 

 around new release sites for this federally 

 listed species in Utah and Arizona and 

 assisted in disease monitoring and surveil- 

 lance in areas targeted for ferret releases in 

 Utah and Colorado. Another listed species, 

 the Utah prairie dog, was afforded the same 

 protection. 



WS also worked with FWS and other State and 

 Federal agencies to develop an interagency 

 management plan for the black-tailed prairie 

 dog. This plan will provide a framework for 

 addressing agricultural conflicts as well as 

 conservation and management issues 

 throughout the range of the prairie dog, which 

 is under consideration for listing as a federally 

 protected threatened species. 



FWS, the National Park Service (NPS), the 

 Florida Department of Environmental 

 Protection, and several private conservation 

 organizations relied on WS to protect 10 T&E 

 species, including sea turtles, endemic beach 

 mice, shorebirds, and one fish species from 

 other wildlife on public lands in the Florida 

 panhandle. WS efforts to protect endangered 



sea turtles in one area resulted in an all-time 

 low in nest depredation. In FY 1999, 170 sea 

 turtle nests were successful, and only 1 nest 

 predation incident occurred. 

 A new WS program was initiated with the NPS 

 to protect endangered sea turtles, least terns, 

 brown pelicans, and native vegetation on Buck 

 Island National Monument in the Virgin 

 Islands. WS is controlling black rat infesta- 

 tions on the island to reduce impacts on native 

 fauna and flora under a funded cooperative 

 agreement with the NPS. 



WS participated in an interagency meeting in 

 Utah to finalize WS' role in the Gunnison's 

 Sage Grouse Conservation Plan and con- 

 ducted coyote removal activities in grouse- 

 occupied areas in accordance with the plan. 

 The Gunnison's sage grouse, a candidate for 

 endangered species listing, is threatened by 

 shrinking habitat and coyote predation. 



The Utah State Director traveled to the 

 Mexican State of Coahuila to assess predation 

 problems associated with their pronghorn 

 antelope transplant program. The pronghorn 

 antelope is an endangered species in Mexico. 







