Endangered Species of the Southern Sierras

The Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains are home to a number of critical but endangered species.

All across the United States, species that were once common are now present only in reduced numbers. The Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains are no exception. In this region, numerous species of every type are now endangered. Although the term "endangered species" is often loosely used, there are actually several different categories of endangered species. Those in the most danger are classified as endangered, followed by threatened species and species of special concern. The Southern Sierra Nevadas are home to all these types of endangered species.

Amphibians, Reptiles and Snakes

The Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains are home to a number of endangered species classified as amphibians, reptiles, and snakes. Endangered species of these types include the mountain yellow-legged frog, the California tiger salamander and the blunt-nosed leopard lizard. Threatened species of these types include the California red-legged frog, the Kern Canyon slender salamander, the tehachapi slender salamander, the desert tortoise and the giant gartersnake. Species of concern in these categories include the foothill yellow-legged frog, the Northern leopard frog, the western spadefoot, the relictual slender salamander, the Breckenridge Mountain slender salamander, the yellow-blotched salamander, the southwestern pond turtle, the silvery legless lizard, the California horned lizard, the Sierra night lizard, the desert rosy boa, the San Joaquin coachwhip, the coast patch-nosed snake and the two-striped gartersnake.

Mammals

The Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains also has a number of endangered mammals. Endangered mammals include the Buena Vista Lake shrew, the San Joaquin kit fox, the California bighorn sheep, the Giant kangaroo rat and the tipton kangaroo rat. Threatened mammals include the Sierra Nevada red fox, the wolverine, the San Joaquin antelope squirrel and the Mohave ground squirrel. Mammals classified as species of concern include the townsend's western big-eared bat, the spotted bat, the pallid bat, the fisher, the Mt. Pinos chipmunk, the Tehachapi pocket mouse, the short-nosed kangaroo rat, the San Diego desert woodrat and the tulare grasshopper mouse.

Birds

Endangered bird species of the Sourthern Sierras include the brown pelican, the California condor, the least tern, the yellow-billed cuckoo, the willow flycatcher and the bell's vireo. Threatened birds include the swainson's hawk, the snowy plover and the bank swallow. Bird species of special concern include the fulvous whistling-duck, the Barrow's goldeneye, the common loon, the American white pelican, the double-crested cormorant, the least bittern, the white-faced ibis, the wood stork, the osprey, the Northern harrier, the sharp-shinned hawk, the Northern goshawk, the harris's hawk, the ferruginous hawk the merlin, the prairie falcon, the mountain plover, the long-billed curlew, the laughing gull, the California gull, the black tern, the black skimmer, the burrowing owl, the spotted owl, the long-earned owl, the short-eared owl, the black swift, the baux's swift, the vermilion flycatcher, the brown-crested flycatcher, the loggerhead shrike, the gray vireo, the horned lark, the purple martin, the bendire's thrasher, the le conte's thrasher, the Virginia's warbler, the yellow warbler, the yellow-breasted chat, the hepatic tanager, the summer tanager, the sage sparrow and the tricolored blackbird.

Fish

The Southern Sierra Nevadas are also home to several endangered fish species, which include the Mohave tui chub, while threatened fish species include the little Kern golden trout. Fish species of concern include the Kern brook lamprey, the hardhead and the Kern golden trout (or Kern River rainbow trout).

References

• Nature Alley: Kern Sensitive Checklist