DNR at Work: Conserving Georgia's Rare Wildlife 
 
Federally 
Listed Species 
Endangered Species Act (ESA) 
 Species listed in Georgia  82 
Endangered  51 In danger of extinction throughout all or part of its range if not protected. 
Threatened  31 Likely to become endangered in all or part of its range in the foreseeable future if not protected. 
Sources: DNR, NatureServe, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA 
 
Since 2010 in Georgia 
 
Species listed 
 
11 
 
Down-listed or delisted 
 
4 
 
Candidates for listing 
 
2 
 
Proposed for listing 
 
4 
 
Substantial 90-day findings 
 
61 
 
Not substantial 90-day findings 3 
 
Not warranted 12-month findings 13 
 
Petitioned species 
 
1 
 
Petitioned species withdrawn 
 
48 
 
Review at USFWS discretion 
 
3 
 
Counts reflect only the current status of species. Sources: USFWS At-risk Species Finder, NOAA 
 
Legend Down-listed or delisted: Species reclassified from endangered to threatened or taken off the ESA list. Candidate: Species under review. Enough information exists on vulnerability and threats to list it under the ESA. Proposed: Candidate species found to warrant federal listing and proposed as such in a Federal Register notice. 90-day finding: Evaluation of petition claims. Substantial findings indicate there is enough information to consider listing. "Not substantial" signals no action will be taken. 12-month finding: Following a substantial 90-day finding, the lead agency determines if listing is warranted in this status review. Petition: Formal request to list a species as endangered or threatened under the ESA. Review at agency discretion: Status review undertaken by discretion of USFWS. 
 
Gopher tortoise (Dirk J. Stevenson) 
 Federally listed  11 Endangered: Altamaha spinymussel, Atlantic sturgeon, rusty patched bumblebee, whorled sunflower Threatened: Georgia rockcress, giant manta ray, northern long-eared bat, oceanic whitetip shark, rabbitsfoot, red knot, white fringeless orchid  Down-listed  2 West Indian manatee, wood stork (both from endangered to threatened)  Delisted  2 (from endangered): Kirtland's warbler, humpback whale (West Indies population segment)  Candidates  2 blueback herring, gopher tortoise  Proposed  4 (as threatened): Atlantic pigtoe, black-capped petrel, black rail, trispot darter 
s 
White fringeless orchid (DNR) 
 
 Substantial 90-day findings  61: 5 amphibian species, 1 bird species, 1 butterfly, 3 dragonflies, 3 fishes, 1 mammal, 12 mussels, 6 reptiles, 1 snail and 28 vascular plant species 
 Not substantial 90-day findings  3: Florida black bear, Pigeon Mountain salamander, Southern dusky salamander 
\ Not warranted 12-month findings  13: Alabama shad, American eel, Barbour's map turtle, beaverpond marstonia, bridled darter, eastern smallfooted bat, Florida sandhill crane, Georgia aster, holiday darter, Hirst brothers' panic grass, MacGillivray's seaside sparrow, sicklefin redhorse, striped newt 
 Petitioned species  1: lake sturgeon  Petitioned species withdrawn  48: 3 amphibian species, 1 butterfly, 1 caddisfly, 14 crayfishes, 2 dragonflies, 3 fishes, 7 mussels, 2 snails, 3 non-vascular, 12 vascular plants.  USFWS review at agency's discretion  3: frosted elfin, little brown bat, saltmarsh sparrow 
 
 April 2019 
Through its Wildlife Resources Division, DNR is making strides in conserving and restoring at-risk species and habitats. 
 
Following the Plan 
Georgia's State Wildlife Action Plan lists 349 animal and 290 plant species as high priorities for conservation. The comprehensive strategy was created in 2005 and revised in 2015 through the involvement of more than 100 organizations, universities and landowners and led by DNR's Wildlife Conservation Section. The revision, approved in 2016, is guiding research so that conservation is focused where it's most needed and effective to keep native wildlife, plants and habitats from becoming more rare and costly to restore. Learn more: www.georgiawildlife.com/ WildlifeActionPlan 
Smart Stewardship 
At DNR, we're also working with innovative regional approaches such as the Southeast At-Risk Species Initiative to tackle game-changers like wildlife diseases, altered fire regimes and climate change. The partnerships are providing resources and coordination to conserve wildlife, bolster climatechange adaptation and reduce redundancy at levels individual states could not accomplish. 
 
Conservation Teamwork 
DNR is a partner in Candidate Conservation Agreements. Thee voluntary agreements with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and others that identify threats to at-risk species and measures to address the threats.  Georgia aster, a candidate for federal listing since 1999, was not added to the Endangered Species Act list. One reason why: DNR and others signed a CCA to protect and enhance this rare wildflower in 2014. The Fish and Wildlife Service referred to the CCA in deciding not to list the species.  Through another CCA, DNR is working to keep the gopher tortoise, our state reptile, off the Endangered Species list. This includes treating 172,000 acres to restore key habitats across multiple states. In Georgia, the Gopher Tortoise Conservation Initiative has helped increase to nearly 50 the number of protected tortoise populations, an effort covering 43,000 acres  land open to hunters, hikers and others. 
Sicklefin redhorse (DNR) 
 In 2016, DNR signed a CCA with power companies, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and others to conserve sicklefin redhorse. For a fish found in six counties worldwide, conserving spawning habitat in north Georgia's Brasstown Creek is critical. The CCA was a factor in the decision that federal listing was not warranted. 
 
Why This Matters 
Wildlife and wild places are important to Georgians' way of life and our economy. About 2.4 million people spent more than $1.8 billion watching wildlife in our state in 2011. Conserving rare species and restoring their habitats helps ensure future generations will be able to enjoy them, too. This effort also contributes to clean water and healthy forests. Georgia has many success stories. Here's one: 
 Bald eagle populations are soaring. DNR aerial surveys in 2018 documented more than 120 active nests in the eastern half of the state, from the coast to I-85 north of Athens. Surveys of the entire state counted 200-plus nests the previous three years. Yet in 1970, Georgia had no known nests. Underscoring the recovery, DNR switched in 2018 to surveying half the state each year, continuing effective monitoring while reallocating resources to other needed projects. The agency also works with landowners to manage nest sites.  More on conserving wildlife: www.georgiawildlife.com/ conservation/AnnualReport