Tag: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes federal protections for both species of western pond turtle under the Endangered Species Act

by Community Contributor • October 2, 2023 • Comments Off

VENTURA — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Sept. 29) announced a proposal to list both species of western pond turtle, the northwestern pond turtle and the southwestern pond turtle, as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The Service is also proposing a 4(d) rule, that would support conservation of both species.

The northwestern pond turtle occurs in Washington, Oregon, Nevada and throughout much of northern and central California. The southwestern pond turtle occurs in southern California from Monterey County south to Los Angeles, Riverside and San Diego counties into northern Baja California, Mexico. The turtles use rivers, lakes, ponds, streams other water sources and terrestrial habitats throughout their lives.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announces southern sea otters will retain Endangered Species Act protections

by Community Contributor • September 19, 2023 • Comments Off

VENTURA — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced (Sept. 19) that southern sea otters will retain their status as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. Following an in-depth review of the species’ status, including information provided by species experts, the Service has announced a not-warranted 12-month finding on a petition to remove ESA protection for the southern sea otter.

“While southern sea otters have made strides toward recovery after coming back from the brink of extinction in our recent history, they continue to face significant threats from climate change, shark-bite mortality, and limited range,” said Steve Henry, field supervisor for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Ventura. “Based on scientific projections of future conditions for the species, these threats will continue to impact southern sea otter abundance and connectivity between populations in waysthat will most likely reduce the ability of the species to sustainitself in the future.”

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — Check out our latest stories for August 2021…

by Community Contributor • August 30, 2021 • Comments Off

Food, water and shelter for California’s only freshwater turtle are all becoming scarcer across the Western U.S. Wildlife experts say that worsening drought conditions, habitat loss and fragmentation, and invasive species could threaten the long-term survival of western pond turtles in the wild.

“Turtles, in general, are among the most imperiled vertebrates in the world,” said Cat Darst, assistant field supervisor with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Ventura, California.

That’s why federal, state and private partners across four western U.S. states and Mexico have developed a range-wide management strategy to help guide efforts to enhance, protect and restore habitat that is vital for western pond turtles in the future.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awards more than $27 million to help coastal wetland ecosystems

by Community Contributor • March 5, 2021 • Comments Off

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has awarded more than $27 million to support projects across the country to protect, restore or enhance almost 28,000 acres of coastal wetlands and adjacent upland habitats under the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program.

The California State Coastal Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy and other partners will receive $1 million to begin restoring the 650-acre Ormond Beach wetlands in Oxnard, California, to improve water quality, resiliency to sea-level rise and reverse degradation of a portion of the wetlands.