Current work in wildlife, rivers, public lands, and climate

Friday, May 29, 2009
Group Presses for Protection of Rare Mayfly

Species 2nd of Nearly 700 for Which Federal Safeguards are Sought
Contact: WildEarth Guardians

DENVER – WildEarth Guardians filed suit earlier this week in federal court in Arizona against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) over the agency’s denial of Endangered Species Act (ESA) protection for an imperiled mayfly, which has been documented in Arizona, California, and Sonora, Mexico. After having not been collected for over a century, the mayfly (Fallceon eatoni) was re-discovered in the Salt River Canyon in Gila County, Arizona, in 2005, prompting WildEarth Guardians to petition it for federal protection in 2007.

Mayflies are aquatic insects that require high water quality. Other endangered animals in the Salt River Canyon include the desert population of the bald eagle. “The vanishing of this mayfly indicates decline in southwestern river ecosystems. But its rediscovery after a century provides a second chance for the mayfly and the habitat it calls home,” stated Dr. Nicole Rosmarino of WildEarth Guardians.

This mayfly was one of nearly 700 species for which WildEarth Guardians requested ESA protection in the summer of 2007 based on their ranking as “critically imperiled” by NatureServe. The Service considers NatureServe, a scientific consortium, an authoritative source for conservation rankings of U.S. species. Yet, the Service denied protection for the mayfly as part of its rejection of protection for 435 species in January and February. Under court order, findings are due on the remaining species in August and December.

WildEarth Guardians further requested emergency ESA listing for this mayfly in June 2008, as part of an effort to obtain prompt protection for 32 species found in one or no locations worldwide. The Service denied the request for 15 of these species thus far, claiming that even if a species is so rare as to occur in no known locations, that does not prove an emergency exists.

Scientists published a new record of the species in 2008, reporting the mayfly from Riverside County in California, in the San Bernardino Mountains. This brings the total known existing locations to only two.

WildEarth Guardians determined that approximately 80% of the species ranked as critically imperiled by NatureServe across a 12-state area in the western United States lack any status under the ESA. Moreover, in a report released in April, the group highlighted the Service’s failure to list even the species the agency regards as the most endangered candidates for ESA protection.

“Imperiled species on the brink are still desperately awaiting passage on the legal ark the Endangered Species Act provides. The Obama administration needs to unlock the gates to the ark, for the mayfly and many other native wildlife and plants in trouble,” stated Rosmarino.

WildEarth Guardians, which has offices in Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico, protects and restores wildlife, wild places, and wild rivers in the American West.

To obtain the complaint and other background documents, please contact Nicole Rosmarino at nrosmarino@wildearthguardians.org or 505-699-7404.