A tale of two valleys: endangered species policy and the fate of the giant gartersnake
By the mid-20th Century, giant gartersnakes (Thamnophis gigas) had lost more than 90% of their Central Valley marsh habitat and were extirpated from more than two-thirds of their range. This massive habitat loss led to their inclusion in the inaugural list of rare species under the California Endang...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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California Department of Fish and Wildlife
2021-07-01
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| Series: | California Fish and Wildlife Journal |
| Subjects: |
| _version_ | 1818744081615945728 |
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| author | Brian J. Halstead Patricia Valcarcel Richard Kim Anna C. Jordan Jonathan P. Rose Shannon M. Skalos Gabriel A. Reyes Julia S. M. Ersan Michael L. Casazza Allison M. Essert Alexandria M. Fulton |
| author_facet | Brian J. Halstead Patricia Valcarcel Richard Kim Anna C. Jordan Jonathan P. Rose Shannon M. Skalos Gabriel A. Reyes Julia S. M. Ersan Michael L. Casazza Allison M. Essert Alexandria M. Fulton |
| author_sort | Brian J. Halstead |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | By the mid-20th Century, giant gartersnakes (Thamnophis gigas) had lost more than 90% of their Central Valley marsh habitat and were extirpated from more than two-thirds of their range. This massive habitat loss led to their inclusion in the inaugural list of rare species under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA). Listing under the CESA provided giant gartersnakes legal protection and mechanisms for recovery, and subsequent listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (federal ESA) further fortified these protections. But how effective has listing under these endangered species acts (ESAs) been at achieving their goal of giant gartersnake recovery? Herein, we review relevant aspects of giant gartersnake ecology, illustrate how listing has benefitted giant gartersnakes and what challenges have been faced in slowing declines and recovering populations, and chart a course toward improved conservation, management, and recovery of giant gartersnakes. Although listing as threatened under both state and federal ESAs has not yet achieved recovery of giant gartersnakes, the increased knowledge gained and mechanisms for protecting giant gartersnake habitat on private and public lands developed over the past 50 years has improved conservation of this endemic California snake. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T02:38:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ff0f77ae32a1438faecc8107de5ee8e3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2689-419X 2689-4203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T02:38:38Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | California Department of Fish and Wildlife |
| record_format | Article |
| series | California Fish and Wildlife Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-ff0f77ae32a1438faecc8107de5ee8e32022-12-21T21:23:43ZengCalifornia Department of Fish and WildlifeCalifornia Fish and Wildlife Journal2689-419X2689-42032021-07-01107CESA Special Issue26428310.51492/cfwj.cesasi.16A tale of two valleys: endangered species policy and the fate of the giant gartersnakeBrian J. Halstead0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5535-6528Patricia Valcarcel1Richard Kim2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5891-0582Anna C. Jordan3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8834-4542Jonathan P. Rose4Shannon M. Skalos5Gabriel A. Reyes6https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9281-5300Julia S. M. Ersan7Michael L. Casazza8Allison M. Essert9https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4408-5934Alexandria M. Fulton10U.S. Geological SurveyWRA, IncU.S. Geological SurveyU.S. Geological SurveyU.S. Geological SurveyU.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Geological SurveyU.S. Geological SurveyU.S. Geological SurveyU.S. Geological SurveyU.S. Geological SurveyBy the mid-20th Century, giant gartersnakes (Thamnophis gigas) had lost more than 90% of their Central Valley marsh habitat and were extirpated from more than two-thirds of their range. This massive habitat loss led to their inclusion in the inaugural list of rare species under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA). Listing under the CESA provided giant gartersnakes legal protection and mechanisms for recovery, and subsequent listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (federal ESA) further fortified these protections. But how effective has listing under these endangered species acts (ESAs) been at achieving their goal of giant gartersnake recovery? Herein, we review relevant aspects of giant gartersnake ecology, illustrate how listing has benefitted giant gartersnakes and what challenges have been faced in slowing declines and recovering populations, and chart a course toward improved conservation, management, and recovery of giant gartersnakes. Although listing as threatened under both state and federal ESAs has not yet achieved recovery of giant gartersnakes, the increased knowledge gained and mechanisms for protecting giant gartersnake habitat on private and public lands developed over the past 50 years has improved conservation of this endemic California snake.central valleyconservationgarter snakeprivate landricethamnophis gigaswater managementwetlands |
| spellingShingle | Brian J. Halstead Patricia Valcarcel Richard Kim Anna C. Jordan Jonathan P. Rose Shannon M. Skalos Gabriel A. Reyes Julia S. M. Ersan Michael L. Casazza Allison M. Essert Alexandria M. Fulton A tale of two valleys: endangered species policy and the fate of the giant gartersnake California Fish and Wildlife Journal central valley conservation garter snake private land rice thamnophis gigas water management wetlands |
| title | A tale of two valleys: endangered species policy and the fate of the giant gartersnake |
| title_full | A tale of two valleys: endangered species policy and the fate of the giant gartersnake |
| title_fullStr | A tale of two valleys: endangered species policy and the fate of the giant gartersnake |
| title_full_unstemmed | A tale of two valleys: endangered species policy and the fate of the giant gartersnake |
| title_short | A tale of two valleys: endangered species policy and the fate of the giant gartersnake |
| title_sort | tale of two valleys endangered species policy and the fate of the giant gartersnake |
| topic | central valley conservation garter snake private land rice thamnophis gigas water management wetlands |
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