Prairie chicken populations listed as endangered

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced last week its decision to list two distinct population segments (DPS) of the lesser prairie-chicken under the Endangered Species Act, as stated in a service press release.

“This decision was made after reviewing the best available scientific and commercial information regarding past, present and future threats, ongoing conservation efforts and more than 30,000 public comments received during the public comment period and two virtual public hearings,” the release states. 

Grant Beauprez, a lesser prairie chicken biologist with New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, on Monday answered questions posed by The News.

“This listing includes prairie chickens in Eastern New Mexico and the western portion of the Texas panhandle,” Beauprez wrote in an email. “The northern population segment — in Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma and the northeast Texas panhandle — was listed as threatened.”

“The service reviewed the latest science and proposed listing the two populations under the Endangered Species Act in May of 2021. The listing process was just finalized last week. The service decided on the aforementioned listings due to habitat loss, low population numbers and growing human development in the bird’s native range.”

Asked if people hunt these chickens, he said: “Lesser prairie chickens have not been hunted in New Mexico since 1995.”

The News asked how the ruling affects eastern New Mexico.

“Primarily, development projects will have to consider the impact their actions will have on lesser prairie chickens and their habitat,” he wrote. “They will have to work with the Service to undertake a consultation process to mitigate and/or prevent potential impacts.”

He said lesser prairie chickens are important because they are “a very beautiful, interesting and charismatic species. Prairie chickens are also an important species in the prairie ecosystem. They are a good indicator of the health of that system. Additionally, many people that enjoy wildlife come from all over the country to view the birds, which in turn brings in money to the local economy.”

Asked how people can help the species survive, he said they can “work with the service and department to ensure their actions do not negatively impact the prairie chicken and to implement conservation efforts that help recover bird populations.

“Many ranchers have already helped by signing up for various conservation programs, including the service’s Candidate Conservation Agreements, which benefit prairie chickens by improving their habitat through grazing programs, invasive species control and infrastructure changes.

“The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish is currently assessing how it can continue working on public lands, with private landowners and with industry to further decades of prairie chicken conservation efforts, with respect to the recent listing,” he wrote.

Attempts to contact the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service for comment were unsuccessful.