WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering whether to place two Arkansas species -- the alligator snapping turtle and the Illinois chorus frog -- on the Endangered Species List, the agency announced Tuesday.
The service will now gather scientific and commercial information on the animals' status to decide whether they should be listed as threatened, endangered or not protected at all, regional Fish and Wildlife spokesman Tom McKenzie said.
"This is just meaning it needs to be looked at with greater vigor. It doesn't necessarily mean these are now on their road to endangered species-dom," McKenzie said. "There's enough concern that we need to take a closer look at them."
The service's review of the animals came in response to a 2012 petition from the Center for Biological Diversity that asked the service to classify 53 amphibians and reptiles as either threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Included on that list were the alligator snapping turtle, the Illinois chorus frog and the Caddo Mountain salamander, all of which live in Arkansas.
While the Center for Biological Diversity said the salamander warranted listing because of habitat loss, disease and human effects such as climate change, the federal agency decided the center didn't provide enough evidence to consider listing the salamander.
The alligator snapping turtle is found in 13 states and is the largest freshwater turtle in the United States. It can grow up to 2½ feet long and has three prominent ridges along its upper shell and a hooked beak, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation.
The Illinois chorus frog is found in Illinois, Missouri and the cotton and soybean fields of Arkansas' Clay County. The Missouri Conservation Department describes the frog as tan to tannish gray with a white belly and many dark brown or gray irregularly shaped markings. Its body is about 1½ inches long.
An endangered species is one in danger of extinction, according to the wildlife service's website. A threatened species is likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future.
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 put the wildlife service in charge of conserving the ecosystems of endangered and threatened species and preventing the extinction of plants and animals.
The service's website lists 36 endangered or threatened species in Arkansas, including several types of fish, crayfish, mussels and bats. The U.S. government recognizes more than 2,200 endangered or threatened species.
Some of those designations have sparked fierce opposition, including the recent fight over what Arkansas streams would be deemed "critical habitat" for two freshwater mussels. The service ended up reducing the scope of the habitat.
As part of its review of the snapping turtle and chorus frog, the agency will look at biology, range and population trends; habitat requirements; genetics; historical and current range; historical and current population levels; and past and ongoing conservation measures.
Information can be submitted to Andreas Moshogianis at (404) 679-7119 or Andreas_moshogianis@fws.gov.
The wildlife service is looking for information from state agencies, academic experts and others knowledgeable about the animals: "Anything from reptile groups to frog enthusiasts," McKenzie said.
The status review is supposed to last 12 months, but often is extended, he said.
The biological diversity center's Florida director, Jaclyn Lopez, praised the agency's decision.
"It's exciting that the agency is moving forward with this," she said. "Having an announcement like this, we hope, raises the profile of the species and of the issues so that folk recognize that things like the alligator snapping turtle that used to be really, really common have these threats against them."
The center is considering what to do next for animals like the Caddo Mountain salamander that won't be considered for the endangered-species list, she said. The options include challenging the decision in federal district court, submitting a new petition with more information or leaving the matter alone until more information is available.
Metro on 07/01/2015