Today marks the 40th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act, which lists several creatures found in Southwest Colorado, including a rare high-elevation butterfly and the tufted-eared Canada lynx.
The act, which was signed into law by President Richard Nixon on Dec. 28, 1973, is credited with saving hundreds of species from extinction, including the bald eagle and peregrine falcon, both of which are now thriving in the Durango area.
“It’s a very strong piece of legislation that has done a lot of good for species in the past and hopefully into the future,” said Mark Ball, wildlife program leader with the San Juan National Forest. “It’s stated very plainly, and there’s not a not a lot of wiggle room, in some areas, for interpretation.”
The law has been the catalyst for the full recovery of 31 species, from the Steller sea lion to the Virginia northern flying squirrel, according to a news release issued this week by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
More than 2,100 animals and plants found in the U.S. and around the world remain on the list, the release says.
The Fish and Wildlife Service is considering adding another bird to the threatened species list – the yellow-billed cuckoo, another animal that has been seen in this area.
The bird, also called a rain crow, is secretive and hangs out in riparian areas, said Kip Stransky, a longtime bird watcher in Durango and former properties technician with the Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
“They make a distinctive sound,” Stransky said. “Once you’ve heard it, you never forget it.”
The San Juan National Forest doesn’t host a lot of endangered species, but there are a few, including:
The Uncompahgre fritillary butterfly, which could be one of the first species to succumb to climate change, because it lives above 12,500 feet in elevation. The butterfly was discovered in 1978 on Uncompahgre Peak in Hinsdale County and was subsequently described as a new species. The butterfly is not an especially agile flyer, and there is only one known colony on the San Juan National Forest, Ball said.
The Canada lynx, which were reintroduced into Colorado in 1999. The last known Colorado lynx was taken near Vail by a trapper in 1973 – 40 years ago. Many of the cats are outfitted with radio collars that allow biologists to track their location and monitor their progress. Lynx thrive in areas above 8,500 feet in elevation. They eat feed on beaver, mice, red squirrels and snowshoe hare. They have large paws good for moving through the snow and are recognizable by their pointy ears.
The Southwest willow flycatcher, a species of bird placed on the list in 1995. The little thing weighs about 0.4 ounces, has grayish-green wings, a whitish throat, light gray breast and a pale yellowish belly. Ball said there is only one known area on San Juan National Forest where the bird has been spotted, but he declined to say where.
The Mexican spotted owl, one of three subspecies of spotted owl that lives in old-growth forests. The bird weighs about 1.3 pounds and has a 45-inch wingspan. There is only marginal habitat for the Mexican spotted owl in this area, Ball said. There have been a few sightings over the years, but no reported breading, he said.
In addition to the yellow-billed cuckoo, several other species have been proposed for protection under the act, including the New Mexico meadow jumping mouse, wolverine and the Gunnison sage grouse, Ball said.
A “protected” or “endangered” designation can often carry a critical habitat designation, which can carry restrictions depending on the species, however, there are no critical habitat areas within the San Juan National Forest and surrounding areas, Ball said.
If the Gunnison sage grouse were placed on the protected or endangered list, it could include critical habitat designations on local Bureau of Land Management lands, he said.
The Endangered Species Act has come under attack on occasion, but by and large, it has withstood the test of time, Ball said.
“Of course, the main goal is the continuation of the species,” he said. “I hope we continue forward with the Endangered Species Act with the way it is written. It is just a dynamic document.”
shane@durangoherald.com
