March 11, 2010
STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE TRIANGLE
Threatened and endangered species in the Triangle
State and Federal Listed Species
Plant and animal species receive protection under the Endangered Species
Act, after being placed on the Federal list of endangered and threatened wildlife and
plants. State and federal programs follow a legal process to determine whether to
list a species, based on the degree of threat it faces. 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. The majority of the listed species in the Triangle are state listed species of
concern. In 2010, Wake County alone had 92 state and federally listed species,
including 17 state listed naturally communities, several of which are considered to
be in peril .
Analyzing the number of listed species over time shows an increase in the
number of listed species in each of the six counties from 1996, 2000, 2005 and
2010. This increase may not be specifically tied to a greater number of species
being at risk, but may be due to an increase in survey efforts in each of the counties.
Monitoring the number of listed species over time can give conservation
organization an idea of where their efforts need to be focused. An increase in the
number of threatened mollusks, or amphibians could mean a decrease in water
quality in the region. An increase in the number of bird species could focus efforts
to protect a particular habitat type.
WILL ADD MORE TO THIS SECTION.
I’m looking at some of the Annual Christmas bird count numbers. Could
also find some trend data there. Unfortunately, I just thought of this tonight. Not
sure why I didn’t think of it sooner. May be too late to do anything with it. Or it
may go in the animal diversity section.
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KEY TO LISTED
SPECIES
State listings
E: Endangered
T: Threatened
SC: Special concern
C: Candidate
SR: Significantly rare
EX: Extirpated
P: Proposed
Federal listings – North
Carolina as a whole has 63
federally listed species with 36
animals and 27 plants listed.
LE: Listed endangered
LT: Listed threatened
PE: Proposed endangered
PT: Proposed threatened
C: Candidate
SC: Species of Concern
PDL: Proposed for delisting
SAE or SAT: Listed endangered
or threatened because of
similarity of appearance
PSAE or PSAT: Proposed
endangered or threatened
because of similarity of
appearance
XE: Essential experimental
population
XN: Nonessential experimental
population
State and Global ranks range
from S1 and G1– Critically
imperiled, to S5 and G5 –
demonstrably secure.
A complete list of state and
global rankings can be found
in the appendix.
March 11, 2010
STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE TRIANGLE
Number of at-risk species in the Triangle over time
120
Number of listed species
100
80
Chatham
Durham
Johnston
60
Lee
Orange
40
Wake
20
0
1996
2000
2005
2010
Number of listed species over time
The most current data available from the Natural Heritage Program is incorporated in this analysis. The data
shows a steady increase in the number of listed species for each county from 1996 to 2010. The majority of the new
listings are plants and mollusks that are state species of concern. Wake County’s number of total listings went from a
total of 78 listed species of plants and animals in 1996 to 92 in 2010.
Habitat loss and habit degradation are the greatest threats to most of the listed species in the region.
Identifying the habitat types and species that are most at-risk can help focus conservation efforts and lead to better
coordination between regional governments to protect at-risk species and habitats.
WILL ADD MORE TO THIS SECTION ABOUT WHICH CATEGORIES INCREASED THE MOST
FROM EACH COUNTY.
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March 11, 2010
STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE TRIANGLE
Mollusks
The largest suite of rare animals in the Triangle is freshwater mussels.
There are 17 freshwater mussels listed in the Triangle, including the Dwarf
Wedgemussel(Alasmidonta heterodon), and the Yellow Lance (Elliptio lanceolata),
bot h of which are federally endangered species. Freshwater mussels are the most
imperiled group of species in North America. The threats to freshwater mussels
include alteration of habitat, contamination of freshwater through pollution and
sedimentation, the effects of dams and roads on water quality, changes in adjacent
land use, and the effects of introduced species.
Birds
There are eight species of birds in The Triangle that are state or federally
listed. The red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis) is the only federally
endangered species in the Triangle. The red-cockaded woodpecker listed in all six
counties, but is only currently found in Johnston County. The loss of older longleaf
pine habitat that the woodpecker prefers is the primary threat.For other birds, like
Vascular
Plants
the Bachman’s
sparrow (Aimophila aestivalis), habitat loss is also the primary
threat. The last colony of Bachman’s sparrows lost their preferred habitat to an
Vascular
plants are have the
greatest number
of at-risk species in the
expansion
at the Raleigh-Durham
International
Airport.
Triangle with 101 species listed. There are four federally endangered vascular
plants:
Fish Harperella (Ptilimnium nodosum), Michaux’s Sumac (Rhus michauxii),
Smooth coneflower (Echinacea laevigata) and the Bog Spicebush (Lindera
There Also,
are sixthere
stateare
and16federally
listed
fish species
in the
The
subcoriacea).
species of
vascular
plants that
areTriangle.
designated
Cape Fear
Shiner
mekistocholas)
is found
in by
Chatham
and lee
federal
species
of (Notropis
concern. Of
the 31 plants which
that were
tracked
the Natural
counties is
the onlyatfederally
in the
region.
In Wake eight
County,
there
Heritage
Program
the time endangered
of their 2003fish
Wake
County
Inventory,
of the
31
are no recent
county records
for the Roanoke
Bass
(Ambloplites cavifrons) or the
species
were believed
to be extirpated
from the
county.
Carolina Madtom (Noturus furiosus), leading to concern that those species might
Reptiles
have disappeared from Wake County.
There are only two reptiles listed in the Triangle. The Timber Rattlesnake
Mammals
(Croatus horridus) is a state species of concern in Durham County, and the
easternSnake
fox squirrel
(Sciurus
the star-nosed
mole
(Condylura
SouthernThe
Hognose
( Heteron
simus)niger),
is a federal
species of
concern
in Wake
cristata),The
andprotected
the Southeastern
Myotis (Myotis
are the
only benefit
County.
lands surrounding
Campaustroriparius)
Butner in Durham
County
mammals
in the region.
The Southeastern
Myotis, aloss
small
bat, is the
the
timber listed
rattlestnake.
The hognose
snake has suffered
of habitat
andonly
is feared
federally
listed species
mammals in the Triangle. The Southeastern Myotis,
to
be extirpated
in Wakeamong
County.
a federal species of concern, is historic to Wake County, but habitat loss is believed
Amphibians
to have led to the abandonment of the last known colony in the county. The starnosed mole, a state species of concern, is listed only in Wake County.
There are four amphibians that are at-risk in the Triangle. The Eastern
Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum), the Four-toed Salamander
(Hemidactylium scutatum), the Neuse River Waterdog (Necturus lewisi) and the
Pine Barrens Treefrog are all state listed species. Water quality degradation and
habitat loss are two of the greatest threats to amphibian species.
3.
EASTERN
NEUSE RIVER
FOX
WATERDOG
SQUIRREL
Scientific name: Necturus
Source: Photo by Jeff Pippen
lewisi
Federal Status: -Taxa: Amphibia
NC State status: SR
Order: Caudata
In The Triangle:
Only
Family:
Proteidae
currently found in Johnston
NatureServe Global
and Wake counties.
Rank: G3
The fox squirrel
NatureServe
State
is found
Rank:inS3
the sandhills
Federal
Status:
and-- coastal
plain
and status:
in the mountains.
NC
State
SC
Fox squirrels are locally
The Neuse River waterdog is
common in the sandhills and
found
in North
coastalonly
plain.
Carolina.
It is found
in the
The fox squirrel’s
habit
main streams and
consists primarily of longleaf
tributaries
thesandhills
Neuse and
pine, turkeyofoak
Tar
Rivers. Thebywaterdog
characterized
large, welllives
in
swift
flowing
spaced pines and an streams
with
high oxygen
levels and
understory
of scattered
or
high
water
quality.
clumped oaks .
Because
of their sensitivity
Source: www.basic.ncsu.edu/
to low oxygen and polluted
ncgap/sppreport/amafb07040.htm
lwaters, they’re found in
relatively clean, flowing
streams that don’t dry up
during droughts.
Source: www.basic.ncsu.edu/
ncgap/sppreport/amafb07040.htm
http://naturalsciences.org
March 11, 2010
STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE TRIANGLE
State Status
Federal Status
E: Endangered
T: Threatened
SC: Special concern
C: Candidate
SR: Significantly
rare
EX: Extirpated
P: Proposed
LE: Listed endangered
LT: Listed threatened
PE: Proposed endangered
PT: Proposed threatened
C: Candidate
SC: Species of Concern
PDL: Proposed for delisting
SAE or SAT: Listed endangered or threatened
because of similarity of appearance
PSAE or PSAT: Proposed endangered or
threatened because of similarity of
appearance
XE: Essential experimental population
XN: Nonessential experimental population
Source: Red-cockaded
Woodpecker by Michael McCloy.
State Rank
S1: Critically imperiled in North Carolina because of extreme rarity or otherwise very vulnerable to extirpation in the state.
S2: Imperiled in North Carolina because of rarity or otherwise vulnerable to extirpation in the state.
S3: Rare or uncommon in North Carolina.
S4: Apparently secure in North Carolina, with many occurrences.
S5: Demonstrably secure in North Carolina and essentially ineradicable under present conditions.
SA: Accidental or casual; one to several records for North Carolina, but the state is outside the normal range of the species.
SH: Historic record: the element is either extirpated from the county or quad, or there have not been any recent surveys to
verify its continued existence.
SR: Reported from North Carolina, but without persuasive documentation for either accepting or rejecting the report.
SX: Believed to be extirpated from North Carolina.
SU: Possibly in peril in North Carolina, but status uncertain; more information is needed.
S?: Unranked, or rank uncertain.
S_B: Rank of breeding population in the state. Used for migratory species only.
S_N: Rank of non-breeding population in the state. Used for migratory species only.
SZ: Population is not of significant conservation concern; applies to transitory, migratory species.
Global Rank
G1: Critically imperiled globally because of extreme rarity or otherwise very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range.
G2: Imperiled globally because of rarity or otherwise vulnerable to extinction throughout its range.
G3: Either very rare and local throughout its range, or found locally in a restricted area.
G4: Apparently secure globally, although it may be quite rare in parts of its range (especially at the periphery).
G5: Demonstrably secure globally, although it may be quite rare in parts of its range (especially at the periphery).
GH: Of historical occurrence throughout its range.
GX: Believed to be extinct throughout its range.
GU: Possibly in peril, but status uncertain; more information is needed.
G?: Unranked, or rank uncertain.
G_Q: Of questionable taxonomic status.
G_T_ : Status of subspecies or variety; the G-rank refers to the species as a whole, the T-rank to the subspecies.
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