THREATENED & ENDANGERED

SPECIES LISTED AS:

• THREATENED (T)
• ENDANGERED (E)
• CANDIDATE (C) IN LOUISIANA

Endangered species is a favorite report topic that Louisiana science teachers assign to their classes. Although considerable printed material on this subject is available at local libraries, students frequently discover that most of the information is on life history and general ecology, with little regarding status of a species in their state. This site, maintained by the Louisiana Natural Heritage Program (LNHP), is an attempt to provide teachers and others with concise species accounts about threatened and endangered species in Louisiana.

Each species account includes information about protection status, both Federal and State. Prior to listing a species, the public must be notified of the proposed activity by publication in the official state or federal register. After a period for receiving comments has elapsed, the final rule is published. Publication dates of the final rules are included in the species accounts. For copies of these documents, ask in the Government Documents section of your local library for the Federal or State Register published on the dates listed. Species Descriptions are generally expressed in non-technical terminology in the accounts; however, technical words are introduced throughout the text as new vocabulary. A photograph of the species adds to the verbal description. Distribution and Habitat sections identify the range of the species both in-state and range-wide, and the habitat where the species is most likely to occur. A map showing the current range in Louisiana is also provided. Because the range maps are small, a reference Louisiana map is included that indicates parish names. Reasons for decline identifies the threats associated with the species at the time it was listed. Activities currently under way in the state or needed for recovery of the species are presented in Conservation efforts.

Six species on the list that follows do not occur in the wild in Louisiana. Species such as Attwater's Greater Prairie Chicken, Eskimo Curlew, Ivory-billed Woodpecker and Red Wolf are now considered extinct in the state. Unconfirmed reports of Whooping Crane and Bachman's Warbler may indicate that these species have occurred here in the more recent past, although sporadically and in extremely low numbers. These 2 species are included in the accounts.

We continue to receive telephone calls reporting "black" panthers. However, our only large native cat, the Florida Panther, has never been known to occur in a black color phase. Reports of large tawny cats continue to trickle in to our office. We know that there is a growing trend for keeping large cats as exotic pets. We speculate that some of these animals escape or are illegally released. Nearly all of the reports come from within or adjacent to urban areas, and point to some other animal, typically dogs. Panther tracks are almost never confirmed. The records indicate that we do not have a wild population of these animals.

A single record of the American Burying Beetle represents the only one from our state. The Natural Heritage Program has funded 2 surveys for the species, which resulted in no new occurrence records.

Evidence is lacking regarding the continued existence in Louisiana of the Attwater's Greater Prairie Chicken, Eskimo Curlew, Ivory-billed Woodpecker, Red Wolf, Florida Panther, and American Burying Beetle . Therefore, accounts for these species are not included in the links in the left bar menu.

LNHP staff hope that you find this site useful. Your comments on it, and ideas about topics for future ones should be mailed to the Louisiana Natural Heritage Program, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, P.O. Box 98000, Baton Rouge, LA 70898-9000. Or you can contact us via E-Mail at glester@wlf.louisiana.gov

LA Listed Animal Species

Federally listed animal species occurring in the State of Louisiana ? Updated 2004
(E= Endangered, T= Threatened, C= Candidate, XN= Experimental Population,
Non-Essential in the U.S.A.)