Author: mikedavenport

NEW JERSEY’S STATUS REVIEW OF TERRESTRIAL MAMMALS HAS BEEN COMPLETED

By Michael Davenport, Marine Species & GIS Programs Manager

The state’s Endangered and Nongame Species Program (ENSP) has recently completed a status review of the state’s terrestrial mammal species.  As a result of this review, an additional four species (all bats) have been recommended for listing as Endangered in New Jersey (eastern small-footed myotis, little brown bat, northern myotis, and tricolored bat).  An additional four bat species (big brown bat, hoary bat, red bat, and silver-haired bat) and a rodent (the meadow jumping mouse) have been recommended for listing as Special Concern.  These additional listings are largely due to the impact of White-nose Syndrome, especially on cave-dwelling bats.  However, additional increasing threats, such as wind turbines, were also factors.

Although these status changes have been recommended, it may take several more months or even years before the changes to the lists are made official through a formal rule-making process.  The most recent status review for birds, for instance, was completed in 2005 but it wasn’t until 2012 that the status changes decided upon within that status review went into effect.

The process for determining a species’ state status is known as the “Delphi” method of species status review and it is a process which Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ (CWF) staff assists the state with.

The ENSP endeavors to complete a review of all species currently included on the Endangered and Nongame lists every 5-10 years.  In addition, other species groups not currently included on those lists may be reviewed for status as well.  At any given time, there may be several status reviews being conducted.

The first step taken in conducting a status review is to identify experts and invite them to participate as a member of a review panel.  Members of the panel may be comprised of experts within academia, government agencies, non-profits, or private consultants as well as others.

Once a sufficient number of experts have agreed to participate, staff within the ENSP and CWF will compile background material for the species being reviewed.  This may include reports, survey data, and data contained within the state’s Biotics database which is the electronic warehouse for all imperiled species data in New Jersey.  This background data, as well as a list of the species being reviewed, and definitions of the status options, are then sent to the panelists for Round 1 of the review.

Delphi reviews are comprised of multiple “Rounds”.  For each round, each panelist will choose a status for each species based upon that panelist’s expertise as well as the background material.  The panelist then sends their selections and justification regarding each species to ENSP or CWF staff who compile the results submitted by all panelists.  The review is completed anonymously, so the panelists do not know the identities of the other participants.

For each species, the panel must reach consensus of at 85% of the respondents for a species’ status to be determined.  If consensus is not reached during the first round, that species will move on to be reviewed in Round 2.  For each new round, the panelists’ status choices during the prior round, as well as all the comments made, are available to the panel, so that reviewers can consider the weight of evidence and other reviewers’ opinions on status as they prepare to vote again.  This continues until consensus is reached for all species under review.

Once consensus is reached for all species or, if after four rounds have passed and consensus could not be reached for some species, ENSP or CWF staff take the compiled Delphi results to the Endangered and Nongame Species Advisory Committee (ENSAC).  ENSAC reviews the results and makes the final recommendations on status for those species for which consensus was not reached by the expert panel.  Based upon ENSAC’s recommendations, any changes to the Endangered and Nongame lists must go through a formal rule-making process before those changes can be made official.

The Delphi review process is a science-based, anonymous review by those with the most expertise on the species within New Jersey.  A great deal of thought and time go into preparing for and carrying out a review and CWF has played a major role in assisting with the process.  From the blue whale to fairy shrimp, each species will ultimately receive a state status, leading the way for conservation action.

LOOKING FOR HELP FROM BIRDWATCHERS TO FILL-IN DATA GAPS

By Michael Davenport, Marine Species & GIS Programs Manager

Conserve Wildlife Foundation staff work with the New Jersey Endangered and Nongame Species Program (ENSP) to manage and populate the state’s official database of rare wildlife, known as Biotics.  Currently, this database contains over 35,000 animal and plant records within New Jersey.  ENSP and CWF currently collect and enter data for the state’s 173 endangered, threatened, and special concern species.

There are several species of birds for which more observation data would be useful; and it’s likely that birdwatchers or other nature watchers may have the data needed.  Most good birdwatchers keep logs of what they’ve observed, when, and where.  It would be helpful if anyone with detailed observation data for the species listed at the end of this blog could submit their data for potential inclusion in the Biotics database.

To submit your observation data, please complete a Rare Wildlife Sighting Report Form.  The form is available on ENSP’s website for download as well as instructions for completing the form (a map must be attached when submitted).  In addition to the species listed below, please feel free to submit one or more forms for any of the state’s endangered, threatened, or special concern species.  A complete list of all of the species tracked by the state can be downloaded here.

If you have a large amount of data to submit, please contact Mike Davenport of Conserve Wildlife Foundation at (609) 292-3795 – alternative data submission options may be available (such as submitting Excel spreadsheets or GIS files).

Barn Owl (Tyto alba)
Nashville Warbler (Oreothlypis ruficapilla)
Saltmarsh Sparrow (Ammodramus caudacutus)
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)
Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)
Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis)

RECENT UPDATES TO SPECIES RANGE MAPS

By Michael Davenport, Marine Species & GIS Programs Manager

Just as world maps get updated with the addition of new countries (most recently South Sudan in 2011), wildlife range maps also need to be revised occasionally as new information becomes available.

There are 173 range maps available on Conserve Wildlife Foundation’s on-line field guide web pages for New Jersey’s endangered, threatened, and special concern species.  Although some of these maps were created only two years ago, 23 range maps were in need of minor to major revisions since new data had become available.  The range maps are based upon data within the NJ Department of Environmental Protection’s Biotics database, the official statewide database of rare wildlife.  While some new data was received from biologists’ surveys, a portion of it was received from the general public who submitted Rare Wildlife Sighting Report Forms for their own personal observations.

One of the most striking range map revisions is the Checkered White Butterfly.  Previously documented only at Newark Airport, this species has now also been documented in southern New Jersey.  Whether or not this disjunct population has been there all these years and not reported (flying under the radar so to speak), or this represents a recent natural range expansion or introduction is unknown at this point.

Take a tour of our on-line field guide – revised maps are labeled “2012”.

THE CENTENARIANS VS. THE GREAT APPETIZERS

By Michael Davenport, Marine Species & GIS Programs Manager

“Can you eat them?”  That’s the question I get most often when I tell people that I search for rare freshwater mussels.  Most people don’t realize that freshwater mussels even exist and those who do often don’t know how they are related to and different from their marine cousins.  I’ve been guilty of mussel misconceptions – as a child, I had believed that all the mussel shells I saw along lake shorelines and shallow waters were discards from a clam (mussel) bake of marine shellfish.

Let’s start with mussel similarities – both freshwater and marine mussels are bivalve (two-shells connected with a hinge) mollusks (soft-bodied invertebrates).  Both live in water and are filter-feeders, straining plankton (microscopic plants and animals), bacteria and other particles from the water column.  And both are known as “mussels” because they somewhat resemble each other, having shells which are longer than wide.  That ends the similarities.

Within the phylum Mollusca and the class Bivalvia, freshwater and marine mussels are within separate subclasses:  Palaeoheterodonta = freshwater mussels; Pteriomorphia = marine mussels.  Based on this separation, marine mussels are more closely related to oysters and scallops than they are to freshwater mussels.

One obvious difference between freshwater and marine mussels is that freshwater mussels live in freshwater streams, rivers, ponds and lakes while marine mussels live in salt water oceans and bays.  There is a higher diversity of freshwater mussel species in New Jersey (12 native species) than marine species (~ 3) and most of the freshwater species are imperiled while the marine mussels are still plentiful.

Marine mussels taste wonderful in a garlic butter or marinara sauce while freshwater mussels taste like an old dirty shoe.  Most freshwater mussels in New Jersey also have a protected status and cannot be harvested or collected.  Even possessing the shell of an endangered or threatened species is illegal without a permit.

Although unpalatable to humans, freshwater mussels are prey for raccoons, otters, and crayfish.  Marine mussels are prey for some birds, sea stars, and some marine snails.

Marine mussels reproduce by releasing their eggs and sperm into the water.  The young then begin life as floating plankton for between one and six months before settling on the bottom as an adult.  With freshwater mussels, the male releases sperm into the water which then enters the female via her incurrent siphon.  The eggs are fertilized within the female’s body and the young mussels, known as glochidia, are then released into the water to attach themselves to a passing fish as a parasite.  After feeding on the fish during their larval stage, they detach themselves, fall to the bottom, and begin their adult stage.

Most marine mussels (and the invasive freshwater Zebra mussel; which is not within either the Palaeoheterodonta or Pteriomorphia subclasses) use threads calls byssus to attach themselves to underwater rocks, jetties, and other structures.  Freshwater mussels are more mobile, using their powerful foot to move along the substrate and bury themselves.

Freshwater mussels are also known for their longevity.  Some species are known to live for over 100 years.  Although some marine clams are thought to surpass the century mark, marine mussel likely do not.

For more information about New Jersey’s freshwater mussels, please visit the links below:

• Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ Field Guide
• Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ Freshwater Invertebrates Project
• Freshwater Mussel Distribution & Status in New Jersey
• American Museum of Natural History – “Freshwater Mussels of the New York Metropolitan Region and New Jersey”

BANDING GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLERS

By Michael Davenport, Marine Species & GIS Programs Manager

Conserve Wildlife Foundation Intern, Nelson Melendez, and I recently had an opportunity to assist Endangered & Nongame Species Program Biologist Sharon Petzinger in her research on golden-winged warblers, a species just added to the state’s list of Endangered species this year.  We were banding males which had been observed previously and had already claimed breeding territories.  They were being banded in order to obtain data regarding their distribution and habitat use, as well as other life history information.

Only males were being targeted for banding.  Males are territorial during the breeding season and do not tolerate the presence of other male golden-winged warblers.  Therefore, in order to catch a male, we would use their own territorial instincts to lure them into a mist net (a mist net looks a little like a volley ball net with much finer netting which becomes invisible to birds if set-up properly).

Once a mist net was set-up near a known golden-winged’s territory, Sharon used a custom-painted “toy” bird to play the role of an unwelcome male visitor.  She also used a call play-back, a recording of a male golden-winged’s song.  The song would lure the male near the net, and the decoy should bring him right into the net.

We went to several locations in northwest New Jersey where golden-winged warblers had been observed earlier in the year to set-up the mist net.  On this particular day, however, luck was not with us for no golden-winged warblers were caught.  Several other species were captured however, such as a veery, chestnut-sided warbler, and a Brewster’s warbler.  The Brewster’s warbler is actually a hybrid of a golden-winged warbler and a blue-winged warbler.  Another hybrid form between those two species is known as Lawrence’s warbler.

The veery and chestnut-sided warbler were released from the net unharmed.  Before the Brewster’s was released, a small aluminum band was placed on its leg and measurements such as wing length and weight were taken.

Warblers are often an overlooked group of birds by some birdwatchers due to their small size and relative difficulty in observing.  They are stunningly beautiful however, which becomes apparent when you have the opportunity to view them up-close.  They are a very diverse species group with a variety of interesting life histories.  There is currently one species (the golden-winged) listed as Endangered in the state and 11 additional species listed as Special Concern.  To learn more about them, please visit our on-line field guide links below.

NJ’s Rare Warblers

Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera)
Blackburnian Warbler (Dendroica fusca)
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Dendroica caerulescens)
Black-throated Green Warbler (Dendroica virens)
Canada Warbler (Wilsonia canadensis)
Cerulean Warbler (Dendroica cerulea)
Hooded Warbler (Wilsonia citrina)
Kentucky Warbler (Oporornis formosus)
Nashville Warbler (Oreothlypis ruficapilla)
Northern Parula (Parula americana)
Worm-eating Warbler (Helmitheros vermivorum)
Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens)

NEW JERSEY’S LOST NATURAL HERITAGE

By Michael Davenport, Marine Species & GIS Programs Manager

Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ (CWF) has just launched several new web pages devoted to those species which have been lost from New Jersey (and the world in some cases).  Ten species are profiled – five which are extinct and five which are extirpated from the state.   Although their stories are sad, they are also warnings for what may happen to other species which are currently struggling to survive within the state, especially those already on the state’s endangered species list.  CWF’s wildlife conservation projects attempt to avoid more species becoming extinct or extirpated in New Jersey.

CWF would like to thank Joseph Wotasek, a junior at Centenary College majoring in Graphic Design, who volunteered his time and skills in creating images of the ten profiled species for the new web pages.

To learn more about extinct and extirpated species, please visit CWF’s website at:  Extinct & Extirpated Species of NJ.

NATURE WATCHING ISN’T JUST FUN, IT CAN BE USEFUL TOO

By Michael Davenport, Marine Species & GIS Programs Manager

Like many birdwatchers, although I still enjoy seeing the neighborhood cardinal in my yard, it’s the sightings of rarely encountered species, especially those classified as endangered, threatened, or special concern, which really keep my eyes scanning around during a hike.

Many birdwatchers, or nature enthusiasts of other species groups such as reptiles or butterflies, share their encounters with rare species on websites or bulletin boards.  In addition, several organizations, such as the Cornell Lab of Ornithology or NJ Audubon, recruit “citizen scientists” who collect species observation data and submit that data electronically via websites such as eBird.  That data is important for those organizations’ scientific research and assists scientists in analyzing population trends over years.  However, more often than not, it never finds its way to New Jersey’s state biologists nor the state regulators whose task it is to protect rare species habitat in the state.

The New Jersey Endangered and Nongame Species Program (ENSP) collects data for, not just rare birds, but all of the state’s endangered, threatened, and special concern species.  A Rare Wildlife Sighting Report Form is available on ENSP’s website for download as well as instructions for completing the form.  A complete list of all of the species tracked by the state can be downloaded here.

Rare species data within the state’s database plays a critical role in wildlife and habitat conservation. It is the foundation of the NJ DEP’s Landscape Project, a GIS product that maps critical areas for imperiled species based upon species locations and land-use classifications. The resulting maps allow state, county, municipal, and private agencies to identify important wildlife habitats and protect them in a variety of ways. This information is used to regulate land-use within the state and assists in preserving endangered and threatened species habitat remaining in New Jersey.

Reporting your rare wildlife observation is easy.  Simply complete the form, attach a map of where the animal was observed, as well as any photographs taken, and then mail or e-mail the form and map to ENSP at the address provided on the form.  For more details about the state’s rare species mapping, please visit our webpage.

A “LIVING FOSSIL” IN DANGER OF BECOMING EXTINCT

By Michael Davenport, Marine Species & GIS Programs Manager

New Jersey’s list of endangered and threatened species increases to 84 this week with the addition of the Atlantic sturgeon.   It is the second fish, along with the shortnose sturgeon, on that list.

After a lengthy review process, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric  Administration (NOAA) listed the Atlantic sturgeon as Endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act.  Species which occur in New Jersey and are listed as Endangered on the federal level, automatically become listed as Endangered at the state level as well.

Sturgeon are often referred to as “living fossils” because they are among the oldest groups of bony fishes and have retained primitive characteristics.  Like the shortnose sturgeon, Atlantic sturgeon are slow-growing, long-lived fish which mature late in life.  Both species have been overfished both for the eggs and their flesh and their populations have yet to recover.  Despite the current ban on their capture, they continue to face threats due to unintentional catch (bycatch), pollution, dredging of critical habitat, and boat strikes.

While both species of sturgeon inhabit the Delaware and Hudson rivers, the Atlantic sturgeon also occurs in marine waters with Delaware and Raritan bays and along New Jersey’s Atlantic coast.  To learn more about this species, please visit our on-line field guide page.

A CRITICAL CONSERVATION TOOL JUST GOT BETTER

By Michael Davenport, Marine Species & GIS Programs Manager

To coincide with the NJ Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP’s) adoption this week of revised lists of endangered, threatened, and special concern species in the state, the DEP’s Endangered and Nongame Species Program released an updated version of the Landscape Project earlier this week.

The Landscape Project is a mapping tool, created using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), which displays wildlife habitat throughout the state ranked according to the rarity of the species which occur in specific patches of habitat.  The highest rank (5) is used to indicate habitat for those species which are federally endangered or threatened.  Rank 4 is used for state endangered species, rank 3 for state threatened species, rank 2 for species of special concern, and rank 1 is for suitable habitat patches for which no rare species documentation currently exists.

The updated version of the Landscape Project is known as Version 3.1 (V3.1) and it replaces both Version 3.0, which covered the Highlands region only, and Version 2.1, which was applied to the remainder of the state.  Both previous versions were released in 2008.

Several changes have been in the methodology and source data used to create this latest version of the Landscape Project.  First, V3.1 is based upon 2007 Landuse/Landcover data, as opposed to the 2002 data used in previous versions.  Second, over 3,500 new rare species records were used in V3.1 and the newly adopted endangered, threatened, and special concern status changes are reflected.  Also, species not included in previous versions, such as whales, sea turtles, and freshwater mussels, are included.  More detailed information is also available in V3.1 such as the type of occurrence documented (nest, foraging habitat, etc.) and the last year that the occurrence was documented.

Since creation of the first version of the Landscape Project in the mid-1990’s, it has been a valuable tool for conservationists, land managers, state and local governments, as well as others.  Municipalities often refer to it in creation of their Environmental Resource Inventories (ERIs) and land trusts often use it to target areas for open space acquisition.

Continue reading “Updated Version of the Landscape Project (NJ’s Rare Wildlife Mapping Tool) Released”

NOAA DECLARES AN UNUSUAL MORTALITY EVENT

By Michael Davenport, Marine Species & GIS Programs Manager

Since September, at least 146 harbor seals were found dead along the New England coast.  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has declared the deaths “an unusual mortality event” and federal officials are now investigating the cause(s) of the deaths.  Five of the dead seals have tested positive for the Influenza A virus.

NOAA has ruled-out human involvement in the deaths (such as intentional attacks or entanglement in fishing line).  They also reported that the number of deaths is three times the number of strandings that typically occur this time of year.

The months of November and December are when seals normally return to New Jersey waters from further north (they can usually be found during the winter in NJ until April when they swim north again).   For this reason, there is great concern that our state’s shores may soon also witness a higher than average number of sick or dead seals.

Any dead seals or seals which appear to be ill or in distress should be reported to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center at 609-266-0538.  Keep in mind, however, that a seal on the beach is not necessarily sick or injured.  Resting on the beach is normal behavior for seals.  They may haul-out onto beaches, jetties, or floating docks to rest or escape predators.  So, a seal on land is not necessarily a seal in distress.  Obvious indications of illness or injury are open wounds, entangled fishing line, or lack of responsiveness to their surroundings.

Continue reading “100+ Dead Seals in New England Are Cause For Concern in NJ This Winter”