James A. Bailey, January 2003
Sections:
Our Wildlife
Legacy
Vanishing
Wildlife of New Mexico
Disappearing
and Degraded Habitats in New Mexico
Genetic
Diversity in New Mexico Wildlife — A Big Unknown
Wildlife
Values in Jeopardy
The Endangered
Species Act in New Mexico
New
Mexico’s
Wildlife Conservation Act
Funding for
New Mexico Wildlife Programs is Inadequate
New
Mexico’s Wildlife Conservation
Our Wildlife Legacy
Early
New Mexicans inherited one of the richest wildlife faunas of what
would become the United States. Among the 50 states, New Mexico
ranks 2nd for its original number of native bird species
(492) and 3rd for its original numbers of native mammals
(151) and reptiles (98). With an additional 69 fish species and
25 amphibians, pristine New Mexico once harbored 835 vertebrate
species!
Our rich wildlife resource is
due largely to the variety of habitats in this topographically
diverse state. A New Mexico State University study identified
33 terrestrial habitat types, from cottonwood forests and Chihuahuan
desert grasslands at about 3000 feet above sea level to alpine
tundra in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains above 12,000 feet. Each
habitat type supports a different mix of wildlife.
Wildlife of New Mexico are
one of the state’s most valuable resources. Wild animals
enrich our lives in many ways, providing commercial, recreational,
ecological, scientific, aesthetic and cultural values. In addition,
healthy wildlife populations assure us that the habitats on
which they depend have persisted intact. Healthy wildlife represent
healthy rivers, deserts, grasslands, and forests of New Mexico.
They represent the quality of our environment, the stage upon
which we live our lives.
Conserving this rich legacy is
the obligation of each generation of New Mexicans. We pass our
wildlife resource on, intact or degraded, to our children and
to our grandchildren. Unfortunately, our record of wildlife conservation
in New Mexico has been lacking.
Vanishing Wildlife of New Mexico
Twenty-one
species of native fish, amphibians, birds and mammals no longer
occur in New Mexico. That’s 2.5% on the native fauna. Most
notable missing species are the grizzly bear, northern gray wolf,
river otter, mink, black-footed ferret, lynx, sage grouse and
sharp-tailed grouse. In addition, the boreal toad, lowland leopard
frog and hot springs cotton rat are gone. Among the native fishes,
ten species (14.5%) are missing today.
Loss of wildlife continues.
Ninety-one wild vertebrates are listed as threatened or endangered
by the state. In addition, the razorback sucker, Chiricahua
leopard frog, Mexican spotted owl and jaguar are federally
listed, whereas our state fails to recognize their imperiled
status. Among these threatened and endangered species are the
desert bighorn sheep, pine marten, aplomado falcon, peregrine
falcon, ptarmigan, Gila monster, Rio Grande silvery minnow,
Gila trout and Colorado pikeminnow. Altogether, 24 fishes,
7 amphibians, 15 reptiles, 33 birds and 16 mammals — 11% of New Mexico’s native vertebrates — are
threatened or endangered. Each county in the state has at least
2 threatened or endangered species; most have at least 10; and
species-rich Hidalgo County has 50. Another 27 species of invertebrates
— snails, clams and crustaceans — are also listed at
threatened or endangered in New Mexico.
Worse yet, another 50 or so native
species are of concern and need study for possible listing as
threatened or endangered in New Mexico. These include the blue
catfish, Rio Grande sucker, black swift, lesser prairie-chicken,
and hooded and hog-nosed skunks.
Species are not lost without
impacts upon other members of New Mexico’s flora and fauna.
Decline of prairie dogs has impacted black-footed ferrets, burrowing
owls, ferruginous hawks, golden eagles, mountain plovers, rattlesnakes
and salamanders that frequent prairie dog towns. Declining minnows
may seem unimportant, but they are the prey that game fish depend
upon. Long-nosed bats are important pollinators of night-blooming
plants. In fact, most interactions of our native plants and animals
are unknown or little understood. The gradual loss of species
results in a slow unraveling of native biotic communities. As
these communities become degraded and simplified, their abilities
to withstand and recover from perturbations such as drought,
forest fires or insect attacks are impaired. The ability of the
native communities of plants and animals to grow products and
to provide services and recreation for mankind is reduced, and
the aesthetic landscape of New Mexico is diminished.
Disappearing and Degraded Habitats in New Mexico
Biologists
at New Mexico State University have classified broad wildlife
habitat types of New Mexico into 33 vegetation associations,
or "ecosystems", such as short-grass prairie, mixed
conifer and ponderosa pine forests, and pinyon/juniper woodlands.
Each of these ecosystems supports a unique combination of plants,
animals and microorganisms. Also, each has both young and mature
stages of development such as regenerating and old growth forests,
with differing combinations of wildlife. To maintain its wildlife
diversity, an area must be large enough to include these natural
variations.
Within and among ecosystems,
species interact with each other and their physical environments.
Species are thus tied to each other and to their environment in
an immensely complex web of relationships that have evolved over
great time. These relationships begin to unravel when environments
are impacted and changed by human activities. As a result, about
85% of our threatened and endangered species are imperiled because
of habitat loss or degradation.
The large numbers of wildlife
that have disappeared from New Mexico, or are currently threatened
or endangered, are evidence that habitats for many species, game
and nongame, have been degraded in our state. Among game species,
mule deer, desert bighorn, ptarmigan and prairie-chickens are
at or near all-time lows, while sage grouse and sharp-tailed grouse
are gone.
Areas such as National Parks
and wilderness have been set aside to maintain native wildlife.
About 7% of New Mexico is reserved for this purpose. However,
several ecosystems are absent or scarce in these reserves. These
include Madrean pine forests, tall grass prairie and shinoak sand-scrub.
Other ecosystems are large, but have less than 5% of their areas
in reserves. These include short- and mid-grass prairies and oak
/manzanita chaparral. These ecosystems, and free-flowing rivers,
are endangered ecosystems in New Mexico.
The decline of wildlife in New
Mexico cannot be stopped without programs to maintain and enhance
the ecosystems upon which wildlife depend. On 34% of New Mexico
that is federal land, several laws mandate care for wildlife habitat,
but effectiveness of federal wildlife programs has been mixed
and state consultations on uses of the federal lands have been
limited. Moreover, on 56% of New Mexico that is private, or state
land managed privately, the few programs encouraging maintenance
of wildlife habitat are inadequate for our needs.
Genetic Diversity of New Mexico Wildlife — A Big Unknown
Small
or isolated populations of wildlife suffer from two related genetic
problems: inbreeding and loss of genetic diversity. Inbred animals
are homozygous at many gene locations, allowing expression of
normally recessive, deleterious genes. Common results of inbreeding
are infertility, low survival rates and little resistance to disease.
In a decreasing population, inbreeding may accelerate a decline
toward extinction. Populations of hundreds of animals are necessary
to forestall inbreeding.
However populations of thousands
of animals are needed to avoid significant loss of genetic variation.
Genetic diversity is necessary for continued evolution and adaptation
of species to changing environments.
It is likely that small populations
of some species of New Mexico wildlife already suffer from inbreeding
depression of reproduction and survival. Even more certain, unique
genes have been lost from very many species that have experienced
substantial declines with losses of local populations. Unfortunately,
there have been few genetic studies of New Mexico wildlife, including
threatened and endangered species.
Wildlife Values in Jeopardy
Gradual
and mostly unnoticed loss of New Mexico wildlife, large and small,
jeopardizes important recreational, commercial, social, aesthetic
and cultural values. A total of 884,000 people (residents and
nonresidents) participated in hunting, fishing, observing, feeding
and photographing New Mexico wildlife in 2001. Among New Mexicans,
19% hunted, 35% fished, and 45% observed, fed or photographed
wildlife. These wholesome and healthy activities are socially
valuable, distracting from antisocial behaviors that are costly
to the state.
The commercial value of New Mexico
wildlife is substantial. Expenditures for wildlife related activities
in New Mexico in 2001 exceeded a billion dollars. Expenditures
for wildlife watching exceeded those for hunting and angling.
Nonresidents enjoying wildlife spent much more than 60 million
dollars in our state in 2001!
Beyond recreational and commercial
values, wildlife are celebrated and enjoyed in art, literature,
music and religion in New Mexico. Wildlife contribute to the functioning
and productivities of deserts, grasslands, woodlands and forests.
If we value these ecosystems, we must value their components,
including their wildlife.
The Endangered Species Act in New Mexico
Twenty-five
New Mexico wildlife species are listed as threatened or endangered
under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA), and 4 species
are candidates for federal listing.
The killing or possession of
federally listed species is restricted. In addition, the ESA requires
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service coordination whenever federal resources
(funds, land, permits) are used in ways that may further jeopardize
listed species. Federal listing certainly complicates the management
of federal resources in New Mexico, including water management
by federal facilities, activities on federal lands and federal
grants used on private lands. There could also be restrictions
on private activities in key habitats on private lands, although
this is unlikely and such federal action has never been taken
in New Mexico.
Aside from federal laws
protecting migratory birds, New Mexico has the primary right
and responsibility to manage and conserve its wildlife — unless a species becomes
listed as threatened or endangered under the ESA. Each federally
listed species represents a failure of the state’s wildlife
program. It behooves New Mexico to care for its wildlife resources
and avoid complications that result from federal listing under
the ESA.
New Mexico’s
Wildlife Conservation Act
In
the Wildlife Conservation Act (WCA) of 1974, the New Mexico legislature
declared that native wildlife found to be threatened or endangered
should be managed to maintain and, to the extent possible, enhance
their numbers. Responsibility was given to the Department of Game
and Fish. However, success of the WCA has been limited. Currently,
91 vertebrate species and 27 invertebrate species are listed under
the WCA. However, 76 taxa have been extirpated from one or more
counties, including 21 vertebrates that no longer occur anywhere
in our state.
You may not indiscriminately
kill or possess state-listed endangered species; but for 68 state-listed
threatened species (54 vertebrates) the WCA provides no protection
(although some species are protected under other laws).
However, loss of habitat,
not direct take of animals, is the most serious threat to New
Mexico’s
wildlife. Under the WCA, the Department of Game and Fish may
acquire land or aquatic habitat interests for conservation of
imperiled species. However, the Department has not been funded
for this purpose. Consequently, since 1974, only one small property
and some minor water rights have been purchased to maintain habitat
for threatened or endangered species. No habitat has been leased
for this purpose.
The Endangered Species Program
in the Department of Game and Fish is not adequately staffed or
funded for reviewing the status of rare species or for dealing
with the complex process of listing species. As a result, the
list of New Mexico threatened and endangered species is outdated
and becoming more inaccurate each year. Rare species that are
not listed do not achieve the public awareness and attention necessary
to prevent their continued decline.
The Department of Game and Fish
is not adequately funded to provide important public information
on its Endangered Species Program. Its short-lived publication,
New Mexico Partners Conserving Endangered Species, once
supported by a general fund appropriation from the state legislature,
has been discontinued and replaced by a general natural-history
description of one species in each of the Department’s quarterly
tabloids. As a result, the New Mexico Wildlife Conservation Act
is misunderstood, even feared, by many of our citizens. Many
do not distinguish it from the federal Endangered Species Act.
Funding for New Mexico
Wildlife Programs is Inadequate
License fees of hunters and anglers
fund programs for 98 game, sport fish and furbearer species in
New Mexico. Management and conservation of the remaining 737 species
is lacking because each New Mexican contributes less than 7 cents
per year for nongame management. General fund appropriations for
the Conservation Services and Endangered Species programs have
declined by 79% in the past 8 years. Inflation has taken an additional
toll from these programs.
In recent years, state funding
for the New Mexico Endangered Species Program has not been
sufficient for the salaries and benefits of the small staff.
Consequently, the program has been dependent upon federal matching
funds and efforts have centered on federal endangered species
issues. Species that are imperiled only in New Mexico, and
species that are not yet federally listed, have necessarily
been neglected in the state’s
program.
New Mexico’s
Wildlife Conservation Needs
In this century, the most important
wildlife conservation need is habitat enhancement and protection.
If we do not solve the problem of habitat loss, we will accomplish
very little, in the long run. The Department of Game and Fish
should be staffed and funded to use all effective tools for this
purpose. These include: identify critical habitats, acquire or
lease habitat, and develop and maintain habitat through management,
public education and technical guidance. In addition, the Department
should take the lead in coordinating land uses that already occur
in several state agencies, so that opportunities to maintain habitat
are not forgone. (For example, the Interstate Stream Commission
plans to buy land with water rights to solve problems of over-allocation
of the Pecos River. The Department of Game and Fish should be
consulted and involved in the future management of these new state
lands.)
The Department of Game and
Fish needs landowner-habitat specialists to find interested
landowners and help them to develop their wildlife habitats
and to utilize federal programs that subsidize habitat maintenance.
The Department should have its own program of leasing important
habitat. Additional staff are needed to maximize habitat benefits
on the Department’s
own wildlife management areas.
Additional biologists are needed
to investigate the status of imperiled species and to develop
strategies for their recovery. Recovery plan coordinators are
needed to organize efforts involving government agencies and landowners.
Wildlife education efforts, including
school programs, publications and field demonstrations, should
be expanded to develop a broader understanding of wildlife values
and needs. The Department of Game and Fish should promote broader
public understanding of the Wildlife Conservation Act including
its goals and processes for species recovery.
References
Anonymous. 2002. Biennial Review
of Threatened and Endangered Species. New Mexico Department of
Game and Fish, Santa Fe.
Anonymous. 2002. New Mexican
Wildlife of Concern. New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, Santa
Fe.
Thomson, B. C., P. J. Crist,
J. S. Prior-Magee, R. A. Deitner, D. L. Garber and M. A. Hughes.
1996. Gap Analysis of biological diversity conservation in New
Mexico Using Geographic Information Systems. New Mexico Cooperative
Fish and Wildlife Unit, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces.
93 pp. + appendices.
U. S. Dept. of Interior, Fish
and Wildlife Service and U. S. Dept. of Commerce, U. S. Census
Bureau. 2001. National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated
Recreation. Washington
Photo credits:
Black Bear: USFWS/Mike Bender
Cougar: USFWS/Larry Moats
Desert Bighorn Sheep: USFWS/Peter Carboni
Gila Woodpecker: USFWS/Lynn Llewellen
Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout: USFWS/Lloyde Hazzard
Mexican Wolf: USFWS/Jim Clark
Prairie Dog: USFWS/Claire Dobert
Spotted Owl: USFWS/Karen Hollingsworth
