Endangered Species in Death Valley
Amargosa Toad: Bufi nelsoni
Two southwestern environmental groups are seeking protection for the Amargosa toad from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the federal Endangered Species Act. Voluntary efforts to preserve the Amargosa toad for the past eight years have failed, according to the petition filed by the center and the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility.
Southwestern Willow Flycatcher: Empidonax traillii extimus
The southwestern willow flycatcher has suffered more than a century of steady decline. Livestock grazing, dams, water withdrawal, and sprawl have robbed the sentinel-like songbird of more than 90 percent of its riparian habitat — and left it all the more vulnerable to other birds. After a petition and years of legal wrangling, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finally declared the flycatcher endangered in 1995.
Devils Hole Pupfish: Cyprinodon diabolis
Since population surveys began, Devils Hole pupfish numbers have not exceed 553 individuals. For unclear reasons, the population of Devils Hole pupfish began to decline in the mid 1990’s. By the fall of 2006, an estimated 38 fish remained in the wild and two refuge populations were lost. Suspecting that the food source may be a factor, an artificial food was developed and an automatic feeder installed in Devils Hole. It has worked so well it has remained in operation. Another critical decision was to limit access into Devils Hole and not remove pupfish until the fall population exceeds 200 fish and an increasing population trend is demonstrated for three years.
Desert Tortoise: Gopherus agassizii
The desert tortoise is a large herbivore and the official reptile in the states of California and Nevada. No other tortoise in North America shares the extreme conditions of habitats occupied by the desert tortoise. A desert tortoise's diet may include herbs, grasses, some shrubs and the new growth of cacti and their flowers. The number of desert tortoises has decreased by 90% since the 1950’s. The desert tortoise is able to live where ground temperatures may exceed 140 degrees F because of its ability to dig underground burrows to escape the heat. They live in burrows that can be 3-5 ft. deep. They will spend November through February in a dormant state in their underground burrows.