Defenders of Wildlife Blog

Defenders of Wildlife has set itself the goal of moving more than 100 endangered species up the federal recovery ladder over the next decade. Our “Road to Recovery” series will highlight several of these plants and animals and outline the challenges that lay ahead for improving their status.

Restoring a Desert Eagle

by John Motsinger, Communications Specialist

Aplomado falcons cover a lot of ground. Three different subspecies span the Americas from the southwestern United States to the tip of Argentina. They live in tropical swamps as well as Andean mountaintops. Yet these aggressive hunters disappeared from the northern part of their range sixty years ago and have only recently started to make a comeback.

The Northern Aplomado falcon is a midsize, slate-gray bird of prey, similar to a peregrine falcon with long tail and wings. In the southwestern United States the species mostly inhabits desert grasslands and open savannahs, where falcons like to hunt small birds among yucca plants and mesquite trees. They use large stick nests built by other birds, and breed in pairs with the female typically laying two or three eggs.

Historically, the northern subspecies’ range extended into large parts of west Texas and southern New Mexico, as well as much of northern Mexico. But the U.S. population declined sharply in the early 1900s as a result of fire suppression, overgrazing and agriculture that altered native desert prairies. By the late 1950s, habitat loss and poisoning from harmful pesticides like DDT had completely wiped out Aplomado falcons in the Southwest.

Fortunately, the northern Aplomado falcon was given protection under the ESA in 1986, and recovery efforts were set in motion soon thereafter. More than 1,000 captive-bred falcons have since been released in the wild, and hundreds of chicks have been successfully reared. The key to success has been lasting partnerships with west Texas ranchers and the U.S. military in New Mexico, conserving the species on both public and private lands. These partners have entered into flexible agreements to secure habitat for falcons while allowing activities such as running cattle or testing missiles to continue without additional restrictions.

Aplomado falcon in Chihuahua, Mexico. Photo courtesy of NASA.gov

Through these partnerships, Aplomado falcons have started to gain a talon-hold on recovery. Biologists have observed dozens of nesting pairs, and many are now breeding successfully. But with additional resources, new or improved conservation strategies, and continued collaboration with local partners, Aplomado falcons can take another big step toward recovery. The federal recovery objective to down-list the species from “endangered” to “threatened” requires a minimum self-sustaining population of 60 pairs in the U.S. That modest goal seems very attainable over the next ten years.

In its 2012 biennial review of imperiled species, the New Mexico Department of Fish and Game suggested that updating the Aplomado falcon recovery plan could result in new conservation strategies that would enhance the species’ chances of recovery. Defenders supports continued efforts by the Peregrine Fund to breed falcons in captivity and cooperate with agencies and landowners to release them into the wild.  We also support additional work to control invasive shrubs and mesquite that have taken over much of the falcon’s habitat in the U.S.  Landowner partnerships like the Malpai Borderlands Group have made exemplary progress in restoring such grasslands.  More work is now needed to protect falcon habitat in Mexico, where many areas have been lost as arid grassland is converted into irrigated agricultural fields.

With more money available, better monitoring, and a few new partnerships, legions of Aplomado falcons could someday be soaring over the New Mexico and west Texas desert once again. Defenders will be working hard to ensure resources are available to make that happen sooner rather than later.

Learn more what you can do to help accelerate the recovery of America’s imperiled wildlife by joining our Conservation Crossroads campaign.

Coast to Coast” is a summer blog series highlighting some of America’s most imperiled wildlife. By using the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s new state-by-state endangered species map, we will tell stories about native plants and animals in unique landscapes where Defenders will be focusing its conservation efforts in coming years.

From southern California to eastern Arizona, the Mojave Desert covers nearly 25,000 square miles–more land than the state of West Virginia! It is home to famous American landmarks like Las Vegas, Hoover Dam and Death Valley National Park. Once seen as an inhospitable wasteland, the desert is actually a rich and thriving natural landscape. Unique plants such as the Mojave sage and Mojave prickly poppy make this their home, along with more well- known species such as Joshua trees and yucca plants. Even some threatened species can be found in the area such as Mexican spotted owl, Californian brown pelican and most notably the desert tortoise.

Desert tortoises have been wandering the desert for millions of years. Reaching lengths of up to 15 inches long, they are quite large for a reptile. These hardy critters live up to 80 years. Taking drastic measures in dry climate, these critters can go for a year or two without water. Most of the moisture they do get comes from the herbs and grasses they eat.

While hardy, desert tortoises are hiders. They spend 95% of their lives in underground burrows to beat the desert heat. Their time spent above the surface is kept to spring and summer in order to take advantage of fresh food. Unfortunately, these tough tortoises can’t hide from us humans and, as a result, have been disappearing at an alarming rate.

The Mojave Desert population is facing the greatest risk from habitat degradation, urban sprawl, poaching and various other threats. Overall, their numbers have dropped 90% since the 1950s, leaving behind tortoise populations that are far less dense. Where once 200 adults roamed in a square mile, now only five or six can be found. As a result, the desert tortoise was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1980. While progress has been made in conserving this species as described in the Fish and Wildlife Service podcast below, in recent years they are facing a slew of new threats.

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One of these threats that the terrific tortoise and other desert species are facing is reckless renewable energy development. With vast tracts of flat land and copious amounts of sunshine, the Mojave Desert may seem like the perfect place for solar power plants. But it is also a vital and sensitive habitat for many native species, many of which are slipping toward the brink of extinction.

Defenders supports clean energy, but we’re also fighting to make sure that solar and wind projects are built “smart from the start” to ensure that imperiled species still have a chance to recover. For example, earlier this year Defenders and several other groups intervened in the Pisgah Valley of the Mojave Desert to protect endangered wildlife. We sued the U.S. Department of Interior to stop construction of a solar farm that would have impacted critical habitat for desert tortoises. This area provides crucial pathways that link different tortoise recovery areas together. Other animals such as the burrowing owl and the golden eagle depend on this area too.

As green technology joins our energy grid, it is critical that these projects allow important wildlife conservation efforts to continue.  By building close to cities and making use of existing infrastructure, we can have clean energy that benefits people without harming wildlife. These are the kind of win-win solutions that can provide American with cleaner, greener energy without trampling on tortoises.