Public invited to comment through Jan. 14 on list of ‘Species of Greatest Conservation Need’
By Mike Lynch
Environmental groups want the state to include apex predators in its list of at-risk species for the updated State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP), which provides guidelines for managing threatened and endangered wildlife.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation put its draft list of “Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN)” and accompanying species status assessments out for public on Nov.15 with a comment deadline of Jan. 14.
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But the list doesn’t include Canada lynx, cougars and wolves.
Protect the Adirondacks Conservation Director and Counsel Christopher Amato said the omission is puzzling because the animals have shown the potential for returning to New York, and they should be part of the wildlife planning process.
“I think that the SWAP is and should be a plan that looks at the potential for re-establishment of breeding populations of species that for one reason or the other don’t have a breeding population in the state anymore,” he said.
State officials in Vermont confirmed a lynx sighting in the western part of the state near New York this past fall, and there have been numerous wolf sightings in New York over the last few decades. The most recent wolf sighting came in December 2021 when a deer hunter accidentally shot and killed a gray wolf south of the Adirondack Park in Cherry Valley. That animal was confirmed to be a wolf by genetic testing.
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The last known cougar sighting in the Adirondacks took place in 2010 when an animal travelled 2,000 miles from South Dakota to the East Coast before being hit by a vehicle in Connecticut in 2011.
Time to add them back?
All three animals are considered “extirpated,” or not existing in the wild, in New York by the DEC because of their lack of a breeding population. They do receive state and federal protections as threatened or endangered animals, depending upon their status.
“I hate using the word extirpated, which the DEC uses because it carries with it the notion that they’re forever gone from the state, and we just don’t believe that that’s the case,” Amato said. “It certainly isn’t the case with wolves, and we think that certainly with cougars and Canada lynx, there is a very high potential for a natural re-establishment in the state, and we think that that should be part of the wildlife planning process.”
Justin Levine, senior communications specialist for the Adirondack Council, also questioned why apex predators were left off the list.
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“Having those apex predators in New York and in the Adirondacks is really vital to healthy wildlife populations from the top of the food chain down to the bottom,” he said. “It’s especially important now that we know for an absolute fact, due to DNA testing, that wolves are present in New York.”
What the plan does
The State Wildlife Action Plan will be used by the DEC from 2025 to 2035. According to the DEC, its species of greatest conservation need list contains animals that are native and living in New York and are currently experiencing threats likely to result in further decline of their populations in the state if conservation actions are not implemented within the next 10 years.
Updating the SWAP every 10 years is a requirement for states to be eligible for funding through the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program, which provides money for research projects and management of wildlife and their habitats.
DEC uses input from partners and stakeholders on Species of Greatest Conservation Need and strategies and actions to address threats to these species.
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How to get involved
The draft Species of Greatest Conservation Need list and revised species status assessments are available on the DEC’s website. The public can nominate a new SGCN, or propose a species be removed from the list.
Anyone interested in providing data, updates, or other comments pertaining to the nomination of a new SGCN can download a blank form from the DEC’s website and send it to [email protected] by Jan. 14.
DEC will hold a public review and comments period for the full updated SWAP prior to its submission to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Input and data may be submitted by email to [email protected]. Please include “Draft SGCN List” in the subject line. Information may also be sent by mail to:SWAP Coordinator, Division of Fish and Wildlife, NYSDEC, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4754Questions about the SGCN list or status assessment revision process can be sent to the SWAP Coordinator at [email protected] or call 518-402-8858. For more information on New York’s State Wildlife Action Plan, visit the DEC website.
“DEC uses input from partners and stakeholders on Species of Greatest Conservation Need and strategies and actions to address threats to these species. ”
Would like to see that list published.
How does someone shoot something that isn’t considered on the list of animals to shoot. I wish States would recognize the possibility of their presence and just say it’s hands off. Otherwise hunters make excuses.
Coyotes are already at the top of the food chain. We don’t need any more predators to kill the deer, turkey’s, partridge, rabbits etc. Deer are not the problems in the forest. Nothing grows if light can’t reach the ground. Forever wild is a good thing except for that. The forests need to managed (logged) Maybe giving the monies back to the communities they harvested the wood from.
Utter nonsense.
It’s not nonsense – it’s just a person opinion?
Before we rush to re-introduce three large predators to the Adirondacks, we need a detailed study to determine if an adequate prey base exists to support them. Natural migration back into the Adirondacks would fail or succeed based on this. Like it or not, the natural systems we have today in the Adirondacks are not what they were several hundred years ago. In the case of the wolf, we now have wolf/coyote hybrids dominating that niche. Just as red wolf re-introduction is doomed to failure in the Southeast due to coyote hybridization the same would likely continue to occur here.
Who is rushing to re-introduce them? We are just asking that they not be shot on sight if they wander into NYS. If they can survive here, we should welcome them back, not persecute them. They were part of the ecosystem before we eradicated them.
Coyote’s and a Wolf are hard to tell apart especially if their not suppose to be here. It also took a DNA test to determine it was part wolf. Don’t blame the hunter(s) for that.
Who is blaming him or hunters?? The discussion is about whether to simply acknowledge these animals for conservation purposes. BTW, grey wolf DNA has been around in our coyote population here for quite some time.
But perhaps hunters COULD try to discriminate between a 50 pound and an 80 pound “coyote”. For example, it is also sometimes difficult to tell a spike buck from a big doe, but hunters have been at least TRYING to do it for decades to avoid a ticket. Experienced hunters have great powers of discrimination in the field. My point is, if I see a coyote that is 50% larger than any I have ever seen, perhaps I would hesitate to pull the trigger if in the back of my mind I know it could be endangered. This topic is after all about education and knowledge, not blame and punishment.
Please protect all animals from humans. I can’t see bringing back wolves , panthers and lynx, bobcats because of what deer hunters are doing to the coyotes on a daily basis in upstate NY.
I’m a deer hunter. What are deer hunters doing to the coyotes on a daily basis in upstate NY?
Should appex predators like cougars ,lynx and wolves be reintroduced to the Adirondacks. well thats an interesting subject .I think before this possiblely ever happens there should be one heck of a serious study done or this could cause a traumatic probnlem to the Adirondack park eco system.
They forgot to mention one other apex predator that was once present in N.Y.. My favorite “The wolverine. “I remember when the lynx was reintroduced to the adirondacks I beleive in the 80’s without success. Some were hit by cars. They did not thrive. I beleive to reintroduce apex predators to an area they have not lived in for a long time is not only taxing and stressful on these animals, but the man power needed to do a successful reintroduction would be to much. Apex predators are not necessary for an ecosystem survival in N.Y..
“Apex predators are not necessary for an ecosystem survival in N.Y..”
Well, if you ignore (in NYS) the obvious forest understory damage from deer – and the subsequent effects on all other forest species – you might be correct. But the overabundance of prey species and lack of efficient predators is a problem in ANY “natural” ecosystem. Ecology 101.
Boreas, there isn’t any overabundance of these large prey species in most of the Adirondacks, deer numbers are quite low in the Adirondacks. My guess if you had wolves in the mountains they would be crazy not to go north, south, east, or west where these prey animals are much more abundant. Even the Lynx release project in the late 80’s early 90’s was a flop and their prey (Varying Hares) are pretty abundant in the mountains.
Do you have the prey species to support these predators in the Adirondacks? From what I have seen in the Forever Wilderness Forest, you need a major wind event or some type of major forest disturbance to create the type of vegetation to have have more prey species like snowshoe hare or whitetail deer for these predators to multiple and sustain their populations.
Indeed if prey species are NOT sufficient, the possibility of these species re-establishing in minimal. But if they are, natural predator/prey dynamics eventually come into play.
A given ecosystem can only support so many prey and so many predators at once. And it is NEVER static. Populations of each fluctuate in cycles. This is well established. This was the status of the ecosystem for all time BEFORE predators were politically and systematically persecuted and eradicated AT OUR HAND.
By the same token, re-introduction of these eradicated species AT OUR HAND is just as likely to be disastrous. This is why there are no major pushes (that I know of) for human-assisted re-introduction plans in NYS. The Lynx plan in the 80s was proof that we don’t really know what we are doing. HOWEVER, Nature knows how to react to an ecological imbalance. It will find a way to balance populations eventually – and it may not be to our liking. Just as with moose re-establishment, predators will also re-establish if we only give them space. Will this effect livestock practices? Most likely, but we know how to reduce subsequent losses. Who pays for these losses? All of us, as usual. Just like disease outbreaks in agricultural, poultry and mammal livestock, we all pay a higher price for inadequate management practices.
Given the current environmental changes taking place worldwide, many species are being forced to adapt – and one of the best ways to adapt is to move. With loss of snow/ice to our north and increasing temps to our south, certain flora and fauna are caught in a tightening vice. “We” (including humans) will either adapt or go extinct. But if we expect to live WITH Nature instead of viewing Nature as an adversary, we need to rethink our priorities. It is as simple as that.
As an Adk hiker i would rather not have to worry about cougers and wolves. There is enough out there that could kill me already. The ecosystem we have now seems fine to me. I doubt people want to worry about their children and dogs disappearing from their back yards.
Children still go outside??
Yeah, we never should have allowed eagles to re-populate. As we know, they routinely carry away toddlers every year. Wolves of course have always had a penchant to lay traps for young girls wearing red hoods. Cougars/lynx? Of course Native Americans were a major source of prey since the ice sheets retreated. And don’t get me started on bears, bobcats, fisher, coyotes, and raptors. It is hard to believe man has survived.
Seriously, I can’t quote any scientific data on the subject, but I would bet more kids are killed/injured by pet dogs every year than all of the predators mentioned above combined.
Frankly, I would be more concerned about deer ticks and sunburn.
It’s insane that I had to scroll that far down before finally seeing a comment about the safety of hikers. I agree 100% that it would be terrifying to have cougars aka mountain lions running around the Adirondack Park. The chance of an attack is very small but that .05% risk (or whatever it is) is still there. I don’t know, I could see 20 years from now reading about how 1-2 hikers/runners are attacked each year in the Adirondack Park by mountain lions. They are very territorial. Serious thoughts, everyone?
First and foremost, we don’t have cougars, nor do we currently have an environment that would support very many. And even if we HAD cougars, you likely stand a better chance of getting hit by lightning, hit by a car stepping out of your vehicle, killed in an accident driving to your destination, or simply falling off a slippery cliff, or drowning in a river. The world is not a guaranteed safe environment for fragile humans.
As I mentioned elsewhere, I am more concerned about deer ticks. Many of us have been attacked by them in our own yards!! Lyme disease is no laughing matter, yet we ignore predators that could potentially help keep it at bay by lowering deer and rodent populations (major vectors of the disease) and pushing them back into areas away from humans.
“There is enough out there that could kill me already.” I doubt very much you are a true hiker of the Adirondacks. I never met anyone who ever said that. A hiker in fear for his life every time he hikes. I am a life long Adirondacker and most likely you are an occasional hiker from downstate.
A real hiker is there to immerse themselves in the beauty of nature and not be afraid of it. I have hiked and lived here most of my life and never felt in danger. Understanding your surroundings, knowledge of the environment will help you calm that fear.
Well said! Danger and risk is part of Nature and LIFE. Native Americans managed to deal with much more vicious predators than cougars over their entire existance in North Ameraica, and THRIVED for perhaps 20,000 years or so – until Europeans showed up with our agenda. Native Americans REVERE(D) predators and ALL life and even inanimate objects. Perhaps we need to take lessons from their philosophy of Nature instead of trying to dominate it and bend it to our will. Indigenous societies around the world have ALL been around longer than Western civilization. Let’s listen to them and learn from them.
“There is enough out there that could kill me already”. Worry more about the humans you may encounter.
I’d like to see some action in returning these animals to NY, even little Denmark now has a wolf population.
We have tried this already with Lynx – didn’t work. Our money can be much better spent on things that might work.
How about it, Adirondack livestock farmers? Do we really need this? Yet the people will still want their available, reasonably priced cuts of meat.
“Consumers” have put us in this food predicament! 8 billion “consumers” and counting. We need to be controlling MANKIND, not focusing on native predators. Western civilization ignores the “big picture” to its own detriment.
The state “solving a non-existing problem”.
Not solving – just beginning to recognize one and the risks of ignoring it. I will give them credit for that.
What is wrong with returning the balance of nature to the Adirondacks? Why is it always about recreation and maybe living where you shouldn’t?
if the apex predators are meant to be here, they would be arriving by themselves. That IS nature taking its own course.
JD,
Indeed, some are trying, but dying of “unnatural” causes. That isn’t natural, is it?
Apex predators didn’t leave our area under their own power. We purposely eradicated them.
I think one reason DEC does not seem eager to help bring back our missing apex predators is they aren’t looking forward to hearing the complaints that would inevitably come over the phone from homeowners: “Hello DEC, there is a wolf/cougar/lynx/wolverine in my backyard eating my cat/dog/chickens. What are you going to do about it?”
Do you think this would happen often any time within the next century?? Other states/countries seem to be able to deal with it. I would be more concerned about unleashed animals getting hit by cars.
All good points. I think it all comes down to John Q. Public and how successful our education system is in promoting ecological awareness leading to a fuller appreciation for predators.
Plus you gotta pay for it. If they can’t kill them (which they will probably do anyway people really like their ‘dog children’ these days) then you gotta compensate. Plus like I mention below in the CO case you gotta trap and deal with the ones that are doing it. Then what do you do with them donate them to them to Saranac Lake or Lake Placid zoo?
You can study this all you want but it seems like the result will be don’t do it. The wolf reintroduction in Colorado underway now is a disaster. And CO has a lot more space and prey than we have around here. From a recent Denver Post article: “Of the 10 wolves released into Colorado’s central mountains a year ago, three are dead and one remains in captivity, along with four of her pups, after a series of livestock killings involving her pack. ” The earlier Lynx restoration project here in the Adirondacks seemed like a quick failure and a waste of money. What’s different now?
Of all the missing apex predators, the lynx is probably the least likely to cause trouble with livestock. Unlike wolves, they not a pack animal, their prey is largely smaller mammals like snowshoe hare/voles, and they are desolate forest inhabitants that wouldn’t seem to even encounter farming and livestock. I think the lynx will return on its own someday.