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

Friday, February 18, 2011
Rare Washington State Moth May Get Endangered Species Act Protection

Less than nine populations remain in Washington and British Columbia
Contact: Nicole Rosmarino 505-699-7404

SEATTLE,WA–Responding to a scientific petition fromthe WildEarth Guardians and The XercesSociety for Invertebrate Conservation, the U. S. Fish and WildlifeService (USFWS) today issued a positive preliminary finding for the Sand VerbenaMoth (Copablepharon fuscum) determiningthat protection may be warranted and initiating a status review of the species.

Only nine populations of the Sand Verbena Moth are knownfrom coastal areas in Washington and British Columbia. These populations are threatened withinundation as a result of rising sea levels and increased storm surges due toclimate change, dune stabilization and habitat loss from invasive dune grasses,and recreation such as off-road vehicle use, among other threats.

“We are very pleased that the USFWS is going to take aserious look at protecting this species,” said Scott Hoffman Black, ExecutiveDirector of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. “The scienceclearly shows that the Sand Verbena Moth is threatened with extinction.”

Recognizing the Moth’s imperilment, Canada listed thisspecies as Endangered under its Species At Risk Act in 2005 and released itsRecovery Strategy in 2008. In contrast,the Sand Verbena Moth has no status under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

EndangeredSpecies Act protection for the moth would mean that its fragile coastal habitatwould be protected and restored. Suchsafeguards may also benefit otherspecies that depend on dune coastal ecosystems, such as the Streaked HornedLark (Eremophila alpestris strigata), currently a candidate forESA protection, and the Island Marble Butterfly (Euchloe ausonides insulanus),a highly imperiled butterfly occurring in the same range and on at least one ofthe same sites.

“The sand verbena moth is on the edge of extinctionand urgently needs the legal protections of the Endangered SpeciesAct,” stated Dr. Nicole Rosmarino of WildEarth Guardians. “It is vitallyimportant that the Fish and Wildlife Service move forward to provide swift protectionfor this species.”

Nicole Rosmarino, Ph.D., Wildlife Program Director, WildEarthGuardians, 505-699-7404, nrosmarino@wildearthguardians.org

Scott Hoffman Black, Executive Director, Xerces Society forInvertebrate Conservation; 503-232-6639, sblack@xerces.org

For photos or more information visit: www.xerces.org and wildearthguardians.org.