Science verses political reality in delisting criteria for a threatened species: The Mexican spotted owl experience

Abstract

The Mexican spotted owl (Strix occidentalis lucida) was listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in April 1993 (USDI 1993). Concomitant with the listing of the owl, a recovery team was appointed to develop a plan to recover the owl, allowing for its removal from the list of threatened and endangered species. The recovery plan - "the plan" - was completed and accepted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1995 #U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1995#. In developing the plan, the recovery team assembled and reviewed all existing information on the ecology of the Mexican spotted owl, existing forest conditions and trends, and potential threats to the owl. Existing information provided a baseline understanding of owl biology and habitat correlates, which provided a basis for the general management recommendations contained within the plan. However, little reliable data were available to assess the status and trend of the owl population or owl habitat.

Citation

White, Gary C.; Block, William M.; Ganey, Joseph L.; Moir, William H.; Ward, James P., Jr.; Franklin, Alan B.; Spangle, Steven L.; Rinkevich, Sarah E.; Vahle, J. Robert; Howe, Frank P.; Dick, James L., Jr. 1999. Science verses political reality in delisting criteria for a threatened species: The Mexican spotted owl experience. In: Transactions of the 64th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference. Washington, DC: Wildlife Management Institute. p. 292-306.