Endangered Species Law & Policy

The Fish and Wildlife Service is initiating a five-year review of 53 species under the Endangered Species Act.  The subject-species consist mainly of various frogs, butterflies, moths, snakes and lizards, including the El Segundo blue butterfly, San Francisco garter snake, California red-legged frog, California tiger salamander (Central), Western snowy plover, Longhorn fairy shrimp, and Vernal pool fairy shrimp.  Several plant species are also under review.  The purpose of the five-year review is to determine whether any of the species should be removed from the endangered species list, or reclassified from threatened to endangered or vice versa. 

The Service is seeking new information on the species relating to the species' biology, habitat conditions, any conservation measures that have been implemented to protect the species, threat status and trends, as well as other relevant information, such as improved analytical methods. 

Comments should be submitted by July 25, 2011.  The address for submitting comments varies by species and can be found on the notice (PDF).