Read Five Magazine
by Jeremy Hance Five Magazine Issue 23
When we think of endangered species we tend to imagine the large and
the famous – tigers, elephants, pandas, wolves, and whales. Rarely
does our mind go to Noel’s amphipod, the northern aplomado falcon,
the Roswell springsnail or the southern long-nosed bat. But as New Mexicans
perhaps we should. Each of these species is listed as endangered in New Mexico by
the state government. Currently, the state lists 118 species as offi cially threatened
or endangered, some of which could literally appear in your backyard.
Dr. Nicole Rosmarino works every day saving these species. She is the Wildlife
Program Director of WildEarth Guardians (previously Forest Guardians) based
in Santa Fe. Th e aim of the organization is “to protect and restore wildlife and
wildlands in the American Southwest.” Rosmarino spends much of her time
trying to obtain federal protection for native animals and plants that are on the
brink. “Native species are vital strands in the tapestry of life. All of these plants
and animals deserve to exist because of their intrinsic value and they all play roles
in the ecosystems they inhabit,” says Rosmarino. She believes we should not base
all of our conservation eff orts on popularity. Noel’s amphipod may not have the
dashing air of the Mexican wolf, but it’s just as vital to its ecosystem.
When asked to describe how our state and local governments have fared
recently in preserving species, Dr. Rosmarino says bluntly, “New Mexico could
do a lot better.” She points to the wolf program as an example. “We need the
state, especially the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, to use all of its
authority to prevent the total failure of the Mexican wolf program. Th ere is a real
risk this wolf could disappear from New Mexico, as there are currently probably
fewer than a dozen wolves left in the state.” Th e Mexican gray wolf was entirely
eliminated from the wild in the 1950s in New Mexico, but has since returned
haphazardly in reintroduction programs.
Another place for improvement is the state’s languid recognition of new
endangered species. WildEarth Guardians has asked the state wildlife agency
to list additional species under the state law, but they have refused. In fact, they
have made only negligible changes to the list since the early 1990s. “We have
identifi ed dozens of animal species that should be state-listed,” says Rosmarino.
Th ese species include the lesser-prairie chicken, Gunnison’s prairie dog and the
Canadian lynx, which is currently listed as threatened by the federal government.
Although many insects are endangered, New Mexico does not recognize any of
them, nor does it recognize any plant species. WildEarth Guardians estimates
that 80 percent of America’s endangered species receive no protection from Th e
Endangered Species Act. “Th ere is a need for real reform and we want both the
state and federal government to push for that reform.”
Rosmarino’s greatest concern regarding New Mexico’s endangered species is
climate change. “Southwestern fi shes are at particular risk. Examples include the
Rio Grande silvery minnow and Pecos bluntnose shiner. Both of these fi shes are
In Our Backyard
Th e State of New Mexico’s Endangered Species
By Jeremy Hance
4 go to readfive.com to read the rest of the story. readfive.com
Come on to visit Taos…you never know who’ll you’ll meet there!
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