https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=http://www.eenews.net/stories/1060039970&ct=ga&cd=CAEYAyoUMTA5ODU4MzE4MjM2NDM1NDE3ODYyGjUyNTY1Zjg1M2Y0Yzk2Zjk6Y29tOmVuOlVT&usg=AFQjCNE55xt_94Atqusi4PWTAWEJ1CVC8A
While these reviewers' comments will be focused on the
science underpinning the proposal, Endangered
Species Act experts worry their feedback could also
have serious implications for the endangered Florida
panther -- another cat that has been long, and perhaps
incorrectly, considered a cougar subspecies.
FWS initially failed to do that with the Eastern
puma, which it first moved to delist over a year
ago due to extinction. The last confirmed
sighting of one of the 8-foot-long, 140-pound
cats occurred in Maine in 1938 (Greenwire,
June 16, 2015).
That potential taxonomic mistake could be due to the
fact that the Eastern puma was added to the
endangered species list in 1973, prior to the enactment
of the ESA.
ENDANGERED SPECIES:
Eastern puma questions
put Florida panther in peril
The Eastern puma, which hasn't roamed the Northeast
in nearly 80 years, is finally poised to be removed
from the endangered species list.
in nearly 80 years, is finally poised to be removed
from the endangered species list.
The big cat is extinct, right?
Not so fast. What if the cougar -- the inspiration for
Penn State's Nittany Lion and countless other
mascots -- didn't exist in the first place?
Penn State's Nittany Lion and countless other
mascots -- didn't exist in the first place?
That's what some scientists enlisted by the Fish
and Wildlife Service to review the delisting proposal
for the Eastern puma are suggesting.
and Wildlife Service to review the delisting proposal
for the Eastern puma are suggesting.
They argue that for thousands of years, only one
species of cougar roamed North America. All the
pumas, mountain lions, panthers and ghost cats
that called the Eastern Seaboard home until the
early 1900s were all just different names for a
now-vanished population of Puma concolor.
species of cougar roamed North America. All the
pumas, mountain lions, panthers and ghost cats
that called the Eastern Seaboard home until the
early 1900s were all just different names for a
now-vanished population of Puma concolor.
Puma wandering the Florida Everglades
While these reviewers' comments will be focused on the
science underpinning the proposal, Endangered
Species Act experts worry their feedback could also
have serious implications for the endangered Florida
panther -- another cat that has been long, and perhaps
incorrectly, considered a cougar subspecies.
"In terms of the scientific literature, there never really
was an Eastern cougar," said John Laundré, an adjunct
member of the State University of New York, Oswego's
biological sciences faculty. "Unfortunately, we're still
stuck with these archaic divisions of the cougar genome.
We talk about the Florida panther as something that's
unique, and it really genetically isn't."
was an Eastern cougar," said John Laundré, an adjunct
member of the State University of New York, Oswego's
biological sciences faculty. "Unfortunately, we're still
stuck with these archaic divisions of the cougar genome.
We talk about the Florida panther as something that's
unique, and it really genetically isn't."
Laundré is one of six big-cat researchers who was
contacted by the agency in late June to comply with
a peer review policy that FWS and the National
Marine Fisheries Service, which jointly implement
the Endangered Species Act, instituted in 1994.
contacted by the agency in late June to comply with
a peer review policy that FWS and the National
Marine Fisheries Service, which jointly implement
the Endangered Species Act, instituted in 1994.
That policy requires FWS to solicit "expert opinions
of three appropriate and independent specialists
regarding pertinent scientific or commercial data
and assumptions relating to the taxonomy,
population models, and supportive biological
and ecological information" before finalizing a
listing decision.
of three appropriate and independent specialists
regarding pertinent scientific or commercial data
and assumptions relating to the taxonomy,
population models, and supportive biological
and ecological information" before finalizing a
listing decision.
FWS initially failed to do that with the Eastern
puma, which it first moved to delist over a year
ago due to extinction. The last confirmed
sighting of one of the 8-foot-long, 140-pound
cats occurred in Maine in 1938 (Greenwire,
June 16, 2015).
As a result of the administrative error, the agency
last week was forced toreopen the comment
period on its Eastern puma proposal.
last week was forced toreopen the comment
period on its Eastern puma proposal.
Now Laundré and other reviewers are questioning
the scientific basis that underpinned the
endangered status of the Eastern puma and,
by extension, the Florida panther.
the scientific basis that underpinned the
endangered status of the Eastern puma and,
by extension, the Florida panther.
"I think there's a taxonomic issue here because
Eastern cougars are considered a subspecies
of cougar," said Michelle LaRue, a research
ecologist at the University of Minnesota and
the executive director of the nonprofit Cougar
Network. "My understanding is that the
Eastern cougar and the Western cougars,
that exist now, are not different species."
Eastern cougars are considered a subspecies
of cougar," said Michelle LaRue, a research
ecologist at the University of Minnesota and
the executive director of the nonprofit Cougar
Network. "My understanding is that the
Eastern cougar and the Western cougars,
that exist now, are not different species."
Two of the other reviewers interviewed by
Greenwire also said FWS needs to address
whether cougars in the eastern United States
were a separate population of a cat that is still
relatively common in the West or a separate
extinct subspecies.
Greenwire also said FWS needs to address
whether cougars in the eastern United States
were a separate population of a cat that is still
relatively common in the West or a separate
extinct subspecies.
The scientists' feedback on the delisting proposal
is due to FWS by July 28, when the new comment
period is set to end.
is due to FWS by July 28, when the new comment
period is set to end.
Implications
Even if FWS concludes there never was a subspecies
in the East, ESA experts don't expect such
concerns to prevent the agency from delisting the
Eastern puma.
in the East, ESA experts don't expect such
concerns to prevent the agency from delisting the
Eastern puma.
Instead of removing it due to extinction, the agency
could do so citing a listing error, said Ya-Wei Li, the
senior director of endangered species conservation
at the nonprofit Defenders of Wildlife.
could do so citing a listing error, said Ya-Wei Li, the
senior director of endangered species conservation
at the nonprofit Defenders of Wildlife.
A Puma taking a daytime snooze in the Everglades
That potential taxonomic mistake could be due to the
fact that the Eastern puma was added to the
endangered species list in 1973, prior to the enactment
of the ESA.
"Back then, the listing standards were very, very different
from what they are today," he said. "They were
practically equivalent to writing it on the back of a
napkin and submitting it, versus what you see today
and the level of scrutiny."
from what they are today," he said. "They were
practically equivalent to writing it on the back of a
napkin and submitting it, versus what you see today
and the level of scrutiny."
With that in mind, Li said, "it actually doesn't surprise
me that -- especially at the subspecies level -- that a
critter basically slipped in."
me that -- especially at the subspecies level -- that a
critter basically slipped in."
The bigger concern for conservationists is how such
feedback from reviewers could affect the Florida
panther, which FWS has considered endangered
since 1967.
feedback from reviewers could affect the Florida
panther, which FWS has considered endangered
since 1967.
Scientists' comments on the nonexistence of an
Eastern puma subspecies could "trigger some
type of a review" of the Florida panther's status
under the ESA, Li said, and "possibly" imperil the
ferocious feline's federal protections.
Eastern puma subspecies could "trigger some
type of a review" of the Florida panther's status
under the ESA, Li said, and "possibly" imperil the
ferocious feline's federal protections.
If FWS concludes that Florida panthers are no different
from the cougars found in the West, the 100 to 180
cats left in the Sunshine State could be removed
from the endangered species list.
from the cougars found in the West, the 100 to 180
cats left in the Sunshine State could be removed
from the endangered species list.
Delisting would put the remaining cougars in Florida
at further risk from development and the deadly
automobile traffic that accompanies it. Last year,
a record 41 big cats were killed -- mainly from car
collisions (
Greenwire, Jan. 4).
at further risk from development and the deadly
automobile traffic that accompanies it. Last year,
a record 41 big cats were killed -- mainly from car
collisions (
Greenwire, Jan. 4).
Even with federal protections, Florida panthers
are struggling to survive. The wide-ranging
species now lives in about 1.4 million acres,
which is just 5 percent of its historical range.
are struggling to survive. The wide-ranging
species now lives in about 1.4 million acres,
which is just 5 percent of its historical range.
Removing those cats from the endangered
species list is "quite a bit down the road,
probably," Li said. "And I suspect that
organizations like Defenders would very,
very closely evaluate any attempt to delist
the Florida panther."
species list is "quite a bit down the road,
probably," Li said. "And I suspect that
organizations like Defenders would very,
very closely evaluate any attempt to delist
the Florida panther."
FWS declined to respond to conservationists'
concerns about the potential implications of
the Eastern puma delisting on the Florida panther.
concerns about the potential implications of
the Eastern puma delisting on the Florida panther.
"We won't address speculation (informed or
otherwise) at this time," spokesman Gavin Shire
said in an email. "We'll look at the comments
provided by the peer reviewers once they have
been submitted and the comment period closed.
Then decide how to proceed according to the
science and our policies."
otherwise) at this time," spokesman Gavin Shire
said in an email. "We'll look at the comments
provided by the peer reviewers once they have
been submitted and the comment period closed.
Then decide how to proceed according to the
science and our policies."
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