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Counting Illinois' endangered species

SPRINGFIELD -- For most, the mention of endangered species conjures images of faraway black rhinos, mountain gorillas or Siberian tigers. Closer to home, endangered species bubble to the surface of public consciousness most often when one's conservation becomes controversial as in the case of the Northern spotted owl living in old-growth forests of the Pacific Northwest.

But Illinois has its own list of threatened and endangered species. Governing this list is the Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board, a volunteer group with nine voting members, most drawn from disciplines such as avian ecology, botany and zoology.

More Coverage Stories Endangered species in Illinois Illinois endangered species by county

Federally listed species, like the piping plover or gray wolf, are automatically included on the Illinois list. But a whole host of other organisms in danger of disappearing from the Prairie State are recognized by conservationists working to raise awareness and secure funds needed to keep them thriving.

Right now, panels of experts are reviewing the lists and preparing updates that are due in February 2009. The board is required to revisit the list every five years.

Interestingly enough, several types of rare plants and animals live here in central Illinois. One mammal lives near a bike trail on the busy southwest side of Springfield.

Birds once abundant now mostly pass central Illinois by in favor of nesting elsewhere like northern harrier hawks and short-eared owls. These birds now are seen only during migration.

In out-of-the-way spots too steep or inhospitable to grow crops, some rare plants cling to existence in Mason County.

And then there are the insects. No one really has a handle on the status of many Illinois insects some may play key roles in the process of pollination.

"There are so many different invertebrates we haven't had enough time and experts to really comb the state," says Dan Gooch, chairman of the Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board. "It's very, very likely there are species we don't have enough information to determine whether they are endangered or not."

Randy Nyboer served as the interim program manager for the board until his contract expired last fall. He works for the Illinois Natural History Survey based at the Lost Mound National Wildlife Refuge on the former Savanna Army Depot in northwest Illinois.

The depot is home to 47 threatened and endangered species, including grassland birds like the upland sandpiper.

"For the most part, (many threatened and endangered species) are things that should be common, but because we've lost 99 percent of our prairie, they have become rare," he says.

"There are a few big blocks (of prairie) left," Nyboer adds. "The ones that are left then become so important."

Gooch says he thinks the public has grown in its awareness of endangered species over the years, especially thanks to high-profile successes like the recovery of the American bald eagle.

"I believe because of the media reporting on the charismatic species, people are far more aware, especially with the threat of climate change and global warming," he says.

Changes in attitudes have come slowly but steadily over the years, Gooch adds.

"I spent pretty much my career trying to build awareness of not just endangered species, but of the natural environment as a whole," he says. "I started as a naturalist about 35 years ago, and at that time it was difficult to build awareness, and most folks generally weren't aware of the environment and environmental issues."

The Sandhill Crane, last spotted in Cook County in 2005, is among Illinois birds on the endangered list.
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