Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive Species in the Patagonias

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— Special Status Species in the Vicinity of Hermosa Mine (AGFD 2024) —

The Patagonia Mountains encompass one of just three biodiversity hotspots in the United States; only thirty-six exist worldwide. This area is home to a long and diverse list of species, including many threatened, endangered, and sensitive species, endemic species, and critical habitat. With other less impactful options, it is unimaginable a detrimental mine would be allowed within a biodiversity hotspot. Flora and fauna will be impacted by severe water loss, excessive light and noise, decreased air quality, and massive destruction to the land. These species are paramount to the health and enjoyment of the Patagonia area and the wealth (physically, economically, and mentally) of the local community. PARA works to ensure the highest protections for the rich biodiversity in this region.

Continue reading for the list of US Fish and Wildlife threatened and endangered species along with critical habitat, as well as US Forest Service sensitive species in and around the Patagonia Mountains. Status definitions can be found at the end of the list. Feel free to reach out to the PARA biologist with any questions.

Amphibians

Chiricahua Leopard Frog

Rana chiricahuensis
USFWS Designation: LT

Lowland Leopard Frog

Rana yavapaiensis
USFWS Designation: SC
USFS Designation: S

Sonoran Tiger Salamander

Ambystoma mavortium stebbinsi
USFWS Designation: LE

Birds

Abert's Towhee

Melozone aberti
USFS Designation: S

American Goshawk

Accipiter atricapillus
USFWS Designation: SC
USFS Designation: S

American Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus anatum
USFWS Designation: SC
USFS Designation: S

Arizona Grasshopper Sparrow

Ammodramus savannarum ammolegus
USFS Designation: S

Arizona Woodpecker

Dryobates arizonae
USFS Designation: S

Baird’s Sparrow

Centronyx bairdii
USFWS Designation: SC
USFS Designation: S

Bald Eagle – Winter Population

Haliaeetus leucocephalus
USFWS Designation: SC, BGA
USFS Designation: S

Broad-billed Hummingbird

Cynanthus latirostris
USFS Designation: S

Cactus Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl

Glaucidium brasilianum cactorum
USFWS Designation: LT
USFS Designation: S

Elegant Trogon

Trogon elegans
USFS Designation: S

Ferruginous Hawk

Buteo regalis
USFWS Designation: SC

Gray Hawk

Buteo plagiatus
USFWS Designation: SC

Gray Vireo

Vireo vicinior
USFS Designation: S

Loggerhead Shrike

Lanius ludovicianus
USFWS Designation: SC

Mexican Spotted Owl

Strix occidentalis lucida
USFWS Designation: LT, CH

Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet

Camptostoma imberbe
USFS Designation: S

Northern Goshawk

Accipiter gentilis
USFWS Designation: SC
USFS Designation: S

Olive-sided Flycatcher

Contopus cooperi
USFWS Designation: SC

Rose-throated Becard

Pachyramphus aglaiae
USFS Designation: S

Sprague’s Pipit

Anthus spragueii
USFWS Designation: SC

Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher

Myiodynastes luteiventris
USFS Designation: S

Thick-billed Kingbird

Tyrannus crassirostris
USFS Designation: S

Violet-crowned Hummingbird

Ramosomyia violiceps
USFS Designation: S

Western Burrowing Owl

Athene cunicularia hypugaea
USFWS Designation: SC
USFS Designation: S

Whiskered Screech-Owl

Megascops trichopsis
USFS Designation: S

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Coccyzus americanus
USFWS Designation: LT, CH
USFS Designation: S

Yellow-eyed-Junco

Junco phaeonotus
USFS Designation: S

Fishes

Desert Pupfish

Cyprinodon macularius
USFWS Designation: LE

Desert Sucker

Catostomus clarkii
USFWS Designation: SC
USFS Designation: S

Gila Longfin Dace

Agosia chrysogaster
USFWS Designation: SC

Gila Topminnow

Poeciliopsis occidentalis
USFWS Designation: LE

Sonora Sucker

Catostomus insignis
USFWS Designation: SC
USFS Designation: S

Speckled Dace

Rhinichthys osculus
USFWS Designation: SC

Invertebrates

Huachuca Springsnail

Pyrgulopsis thompsoni
USFWS Designation: CCA
USFS Designation: S

Monarch

Danaus plexippus
USFWS Designation: C

Shortneck Snaggletooth

Gastrocopta dalliana
USFWS Designation: CCA

Mammals

Big Free-tailed Bat

Nyctinomops macrotis
USFWS Designation: SC

Black-tailed Prairie Dog

Cynomys ludovicianus
USFWS Designation: CCA

Cave Myotis

Myotis velifer
USFWS Designation: SC

Desert Red Bat

Lasiurus frantzii
USFS Designation: S

Fringed Myotis

Myotis thysanodes
USFWS Designation: SC

Jaguar

Panthera onca
USFWS Designation: LE, CH

Lesser Long-nosed Bat

Leptonycteris yerbabuenae
USFWS Designation: SC

Mexican Long-tongued Bat

Choeronycteris mexicana
USFWS Designation: SC
USFS Designation: S

Ocelot

Leopardus pardalis
USFWS Designation: LE

Pale Townsend’s Big-eared Bat

Corynorhinus townsendii pallescens
USFWS Designation: SC
USFS Designation: S

Western Red Bat

Lasiurus blossevillii
USFS Designation: S

Western Yellow Bat

Lasiurus xanthinus
USFS Designation: S

Yellow-nosed Cotton Rat

Sigmodon ochrognathus
USFWS Designation: SC

Yuma Myotis

Sigmodon ochrognathus
USFWS Designation: SC

Reptiles

Arizona Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake

Crotalus willardi
USFS Designation: S

Brown Vinesnake

Oxybelis aeneus
USFS Designation: S

Chihuahuan Black-headed Snake

Tantilla wilcoxi
USFS Designation: S

Giant Spotted Whiptail

Aspidoscelis stictogrammus
USFWS Designation: SC
USFS Designation: S

Mountain Skink

Plestiodon callicephalus
USFS Designation: S

Narrow-headed Gartersnake

Thamnophis rufipunctatus
USFWS Designation: LT
USFS Designation: S

Northern Green Ratsnake

Senticolis triaspis intermedia
USFS Designation: S

Northern Mexican Gartersnake

Thamnophis eques megalops
USFWS Designation: LT
USFS Designation: S

Slevin’s Bunchgrass Lizard

Sceloporus slevini
USFS Designation: S

Sonoran Desert Tortoise

Gopherus morafkai
USFWS Designation: CCA
USFS Designation: S

Thornscrub Hook-nosed Snake

Gyalopion quadrangulare
USFS Designation: S

Yaqui Black-headed Snake

Tantilla yaquia
USFS Designation: S

Flowering Plants

Bartram Stonecrop

Graptopetalum bartramii
USFWS Designation: LT
USFS Designation: S

Beardless Chinchweed

Pectis imberbis
USFWS Designation: LE
USFS Designation: S

Chiricahua Mountain Brookweed

Samolus vagans
USFS Designation: S

Greene Milkweed

Asclepias uncialis
USFWS Designation: SC
USFS Designation: S

Huachuca Milkvetch

Samolus vagans
USFWS Designation: SC
USFS Designation: S

Huachuca Water-umbel

Lilaeopsis schaffneriana ssp. recurva
USFWS Designation: LE

Large-flowered Blue Star

Amsonia grandiflora
USFWS Designation: SC
USFS Designation: S

Metcalfe’s Tick-trefoil

Desmodium metcalfei
USFS Designation: S

Santa Cruz Striped Agave

Agave parviflora ssp. parviflora
USFWS Designation: SC
USFS Designation: S

Sonoita Noseburn

Tragia laciniata
USFS Designation: S

Sonoran Bird’s-foot Trefoil

Lotus alamosanus
USFS Designation: S

Wiggins Milkweed Vine

Metastelma mexicanum
USFWS Designation: SC
USFS Designation: S

Woodland Spurge

Euphorbia macropus
USFWS Designation: SC

Status Definitions

BGA – Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act; prohibits take of bald and golden eagles without prior USFWS permit.

C – Candidate. Species for which the USFWS has on file sufficient information on biological vulnerability and threats to support proposals to list as Endangered or Threatened under ESA. Proposed rules for these species is precluded at present by other higher priority listing actions.

CCA – Candidate Conservation Agreement: Formal, voluntary agreements between the USFWS and one or more parties to address the conservation needs of one or more candidate species or species likely to become candidates in the near future. Participants voluntarily commit to implement specific actions designed to remove or reduce threats to the covered species, so that listing may not be necessary. The degree of detail in CCAs can vary widely, and there are no specific permits or assurances associated with them. CCAs are primarily entered into between USFWS and other Federal agencies and States, but local governments, Tribes, private property owners, and other entities may also participate.

CH – Critical habitat present.

LE – Listed Endangered: imminent jeopardy of extinction.

LT – Listed Threatened: imminent jeopardy of becoming Endangered.

S – Sensitive: those taxa occurring on National Forests in Arizona which are considered sensitive by the Regional Forester.

SC – Species of Concern. The terms “Species of Concern” or “Species at Risk” should be considered as terms-of-art that describe the entire realm of taxa whose conservation status may be of concern to the USFWS, but neither term has official status.