CURRENT PROJECTS

November 2003

RCW Project

The red-cockaded woodpecker (RCW) is indigenous to longleaf pine forests of the southeastern United States. Small, isolated, and genetically important groups do exist on private lands in Louisiana but their probability of persistence is very low if these fragmented pine forests are not managed for the RCW. The probability of persistence is also affected by proximity or connectedness to other populations to facilitate dispersal between populations. RCW populations located on private lands have presented problems for landowners whose land management objectives are incompatible with the RCW's specific habitat requirements. In addition, under the current Endangered Species Act certain management actions, such as cutting cavity nesting trees, are unlawful. The goal of this project is to implement the RCW Safe Harbor Program on non-federal lands in Louisiana and in doing so help landowners by easing some of the restrictions in place on RCW habitat. This statewide project will benefit landowners who are in areas where RCWs exist (particularly those landowners near Kisatchie National Forest). A biologist is on staff, and is meeting with interested landowners to explain the benefits of enrolling in the Safe Harbor Program.

Funding: State Wildlife Grant
Status: current

LA Pine Snake Research

Describing populations of the rare and secretive Louisiana pine snake (LPS) is extremely difficult with the tools currently available. It has been suggested that monitoring pocket gopher populations could serve as a more accessible way of indirectly monitoring LPS populations. This idea is based on the importance of gophers as a prey base, and the hypothesis that fire suppression has a negative impact on pocket gopher populations, leading to local declines in LPSs. Do high pocket gopher densities predict high LPS densities? Can LPSs persist in areas depauperate of gophers? Knowing the answers to these questions would be extremely helpful in monitoring LPS habitat management, particularly on commercial timberlands.

Funding: State Wildlife Grant
Status: It will start Nov 2003

Louisiana Black Bear Research

In an effort to help the recovery of the Louisiana black bear, personnel from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the Black Bear Conservation Committee, Louisiana State University, landowners, and many other interested individuals joined to participate in this project. To remove the Louisiana black bear from threatened status, an additional population must be established to provide the opportunity for movement of bears among existing populations for cross-breeding and thus improved gene flow. As recent relocations of adult females with cubs have been successful in other projects, this study adopted the same strategy. Most previous translocation projects have failed because bears leave the area immediately after the release. However, the movements of the female are restricted because of her cubs. As females remain on the release site, they become familiar with their surroundings and eventually establish a home range there. Relocated females in the Red River WMA are from the Tensas River Basin and coastal St. Mary and Iberia Parishes. The first Louisiana black bears were moved to the Red River Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in early March of 2001 and relocation efforts continued in 2003. All individuals are radio tagged and personnel from Louisiana State University and USFWS monitor them through out the year. This study is also providing knowledge about the ecology of the species. For 2003, the researchers are planning to release females with cubs in Lake Ophelia National Wildlife Refuge.

The number of calls to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries reporting bears in garbage has increased significantly in the last years. The Nuisance Bear project has two goals: 1- To educate the public about bears and garbage habituation; 2-To rehabilitate the problem bears by conditioning them to avoid humans with the use of trapping, aversive conditioning and trained bear dogs.

Funding: Section 6
Status: current projects (since 2001)

Louisiana Gopher Tortoise Research

The prevalence of exposure to Upper Respiratory Tract Disease Syndrome (URTDS) in the Louisiana tortoise population is unknown. Knowing if and where and to what extent URTDS occurs within the Louisiana range could affect decisions concerning repatriation or reveal locations where tortoises experience high physical stress levels and thus the need for proper management is greatest. The goals of this project are to establish a health surveillance program for the gopher tortoise and evaluate the gopher tortoise as a sentinel for emerging infectious diseases and toxins with their natural range.

Funding: Section 6
Status: current project (since 2002)

Manatee and Marine Mammal Projects (Three projects)

Manatee sightings have been on the rise in southeastern LA. Between 1929 and 1994, there were only 19 reported sightings of the manatee in Louisiana. However, that number has increased since the mid-1990's, especially in and around the Lake Pontchartrain basin. Current records indicate 92 manatee sightings in Louisiana for the years 1995-2003. This year, LNHP has launched an educational project to increase awareness among the Louisiana's coastal residents concerning the presence of manatees and sea grass beds. As a continuation of this project, the LNHP is now inviting charter boat operators to participate in the Manatee/Sea Grass Beds Registry Program.

Rescuing and studying marine mammals that strand provide vital information to the status of the ocean and coastal environment, as well as the biology and health of these animals that live in the wild. The Aquarium of the Americas (New Orleans, Louisiana) will be contracted to provide assistance with maintaining a network of volunteers and responding to stranding events involving dolphins and whales.

Funding: Section 6, State Wildlife Grant
Status: current

Bird Inventories Projects (Three projects)

Louisiana arguably has the largest number of wading birds than any state in the southeastern United States. Our extensive coastal and inland wetlands offer ideal habitat in which these species can produce and rear their young. Significant portions of the coastal US breeding populations of Olivaceous Cormorants, Anhingas, Little Blue Herons, Tricolored Herons, Black-crowned Night Herons, White Ibis, dark ibis, Sandwich Terns, Forster's Terns, and Black Skimmers nest in Louisiana. Not since 1990 has a statewide survey for rookeries occurred. More recent surveys have been partial in geographic scope and limited in funding. This project will update this information to adequately review the 1,000-plus proposed projects we review annually.

Compared with other southern states, Louisiana is lacking in its Breeding Bird Survey coverage. Currently in Louisiana, surveys are conducted by volunteers, but may be costly to them since they are often far from their home. This limits the number of volunteers we have. Furthermore, current Louisiana birders often need additionally training in recognizing bird vocalizations. We plan to implement new routes using a volunteer network of supporter, increase the number of volunteers conducting the surveys, develop a training workshop for existing and new volunteers and cover volunteer expenses to conduct existing and new routes.

The most recent Snowy Plover data was collected as part of the 2001 International Piping Plover Surveys conducted in Louisiana during the winter months. The first breeding record for Snowy Plover in Louisiana was observed on Holly Beach, Cameron Parish, in southwestern Louisiana during a 1994 breeding bird survey. There have not been any surveys specifically directed at locating breeding Snowy Plovers in Louisiana. As part of the Gulf-wide effort to determine the status of the Snowy plover, the LNHP will contract universities to obtain baseline information on the numbers and locations of breeding and wintering Snowy Plovers in Louisiana.

Funding: State Wildlife Grant, USFWS Grant Agreement
Status: the three projects will start in 2004

Systematic statewide inventory of high-priority r/t/e animal species

Approximately 35 vertebrate species and 38 invertebrate species are ranked by the LNHP as S1, S2 or S1S2. The LNHP, through, is funding projects on these animal species to update existing element occurrences in the LNHP database and survey additional sites in an attempt to add new records to the database. Funded projects included inventories on: LA Pearlshell mussel, Crawfish species, Inland Fish, Bats, and Amphibians (Tiger salamander and Gopher frog).

Funding: State Wildlife Grant
Status: recent (June 2003), current

Ornate Box Turtle, Crested Caracara and Burrowing Owl Project

Investigating within the current range of the ornate box turtle, crested caracara and the burrowing owl in southwest Louisiana, we plan to utilize soil maps, aerial photos, and vegetation types to identify areas that could support populations of this species. Follow-up surveys of these areas will be done by LA Natural Heritage staff after completion of the project. Funds will be used to contract a person to complete this project.

Funding: State Wildlife Grant
Status: It will start Jan2004

Workshop to promote interagency collaboration on state rare species and related natural communities.

Approximately 90 percent of the existing zoological records in the database have a "LAST OBSERVED" date more than 5 years old. LNHP have inadequate staffing levels to update the aging records. We believe that the Wildlife Division personnel of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries can be an important source of information on occurrences and current status of natural communities and rare species. This interagency collaboration will help the LNHP staff to advance work on conservation of state rare species and related communities. The workshop has the goal to introduce Wildlife Division personnel to state rare species, related natural communities, Natural Heritage Program methodology and different uses of the LNHP database to advance work on conservation of the state natural heritage on the Wildlife Management Areas.

Funding: State Wildlife Grant
Status: March 2004

Natural Areas Registry Program areas for r/t/e vertebrates

The Louisiana Natural Areas Registry was created by the LA State Legislature in 1987 to preserve the best remaining examples of our state's natural heritage. The program relies on citizen-based conservation and the willingness of landowners to safeguard the best that remains of our biological diversity. As 90% of Louisiana's 43, 566 square miles are private lands, it is clear the important roll that landowners have in reducing the chances our significant natural areas might inadvertently be destroyed. Since its creation, seventy-three landowners have registered their properties representing a total of 94.78 square miles distributed in 29 parishes. As last contact dates with participating landowners were as recent as 1998 but in some cases as far as 1992, our goal is to reimplement the Natural Areas Registry Program for the protection of r/t/e species and to re-establish contact with landowners already registered in the Program.

Funding: State Wildlife Grant
Status: current