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

Monday, April 11, 2011
Imperiled Arizona Springsnails Proposed for Federal Protection

At Long Last, Two Species May Get the Help They Need to Avoid Extinction
Contact: Taylor Jones (303) 573-4898 x1159

Washington, DC—The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service)will propose two imperiled springsnails for listing and critical habitat underthe Endangered Species Act (ESA) in tomorrow’s Federal Register. The San Bernardino springsnail (Pyrgulopsis bernardina) has been acandidate for ESA protection since 2007, but at one point, land managers had toturn a garden hose on Snail Spring, its only remaining U.S. habitat, in alast-ditch effort to keep the spring from drying out and save the species. The Three Forks springsnail (Pyrgulopsis trivialis) has beenwaiting for protection since 2001, though one of its two populations almostvanished in 2004.

“These species desperately need federal protection tosurvive,” said Taylor Jones, Endangered Species Advocate for WildEarth Guardians. “Species have gone extinct whilewaiting on the candidate list, and without protection these two springsnailswill likely join their ranks. Weapplaud this proposal, as it is high time that these snails are moved towardsfull protection under the ESA.”

WildEarth Guardians petitionedfor listing of the San Bernardino springsnail in 2007 given its ranking byscientists as “critically imperiled.” The Center for Biological Diversity petitioned the Three Forks springsnailfor listing in 2004. The Servicerecognized that both snails faced “imminent, high-magnitude” threats to theirsurvival.

Both springsnails are membersof the genus Pyrgulopsis, importantindicators of water quality and spring health. The Three Forks springsnail occurs only on two springcomplexes in the Apache-SitgreavesNational Forests in east-central Arizona, while the San Bernardino springsnailis now limited to two or possibly three springs, all located on the JohnSlaughter Ranch in Cochise County, southern Arizona. It is unclear whether or not the species exists in Mexico.

According to the Service, the greatest threat to the Three Forksspringsnail is exposure to wildfire and fire retardants. A long history of fire suppression inthe Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests allowed a buildup of woody fuels thatresulted in less frequent but much hotter and more damaging fires. Fire retardant chemicals released tocontrol two of these extreme fires in 2004 contaminated Three Forks Springs’waters – the snail was abundant at Three Forks Springs in 2002 and 2003, butafter the fire it nearly disappeared. The snail also faces threats from nonnative crayfish that prey upon itand grazing by wild ungulatesleft uncontrolled because of insufficient natural predators.

There were once at least six populations of San Bernardino springsnail,but due to water depletion and diversion they are now found in only two orthree springs on private property, where they continue to experience habitatloss. Three springs on theSlaughter Ranch have been converted into one large artificial pond, and nospringsnails have been found there since. When the irrigation system at Slaughter Ranch in on, there is a visibledecline in flow from Snail Spring. Snail Spring has not had consistent natural water flow since 2005,and no springsnails have been observed there since 2005.

Although the Service owns the water rights to the water being used onSlaughter Ranch, they have so far failed to protect the San Bernardinospringsnail from groundwater depletion, instead allowing the water this snailneeds for survival to be used for irrigating turf grass and a cattle pasture. Even though the species continues topersist at Goat Tank and Horse Springs (two other Slaughter Ranch springs), itoccurs in low numbers likely due to poor habitat conditions. If groundwater depletion were to affectGoat Tank and Horse Spring, the San Bernardino springsnail could beeliminated. Herbicide andpesticide runoff from the ranch could also negatively affect the snails.

Both species have small ranges and limited ability to leave degradedhabitat in search of a new home. With just one drought, fire, or exposure to pesticide, these fragilecreatures could vanish forever.

“These snail are in a perilous situation,” said Taylor Jones. “What happens next iscrucial: the federal government must add these two unique animals to theendangered species list and get on with the business of pulling them back fromthe brink.”

WildEarth Guardians included the San Bernardino springsnail in itsreport, “America’s Top 40: A Call to Action for the Nation’s Most ImperiledSpecies.” The report was released on the 100^th day of the Obamaadministration, urging President Obama to escalate the endangered specieslisting program. So far, PresidentObama has added only 4 new species in the continental U.S. to the list sincetaking office.