Feds look to list rare Glacier Park stonefly
Lednia tumana, Reynolds Creek spring, Logan Pass, Glacier National Park, MT, Aug. 2009
Glacier National Park has several threatened and endangered species roaming its hills and dales — Canada lynx. Grizzly bears. Bull trout.
Add two rare bugs to the mix.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Monday announced it was proposing to list the meltwater lednian stonefly and western glacier stonefly as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. A threatened listing means the stoneflies are likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of their range.
Stoneflies live in cold, clean water. These particular two species live in select streams in Glacier. They face threats from global climate change — namely warming water as the Park’s cold water sources are threatened either by disappearing glaciers or drought.
The good news, the Service says, is four potential new populations of the western glacier stonefly are believed to have been found in the Beartooth Mountains in southwestern Montana and Grand Teton National Park, in Wyoming. These stoneflies are found almost entirely on federal land in places so remote they are protected. The bad news for the bugs is their glaciers are melting, putting the icy streams where stoneflies thrive in danger from drought and climate change.
The proposal to list the two stoneflies comes after the Center for Biological Diversity filed suit in federal court last year, which all but forced the Service to make a decision on the insects.
Conservation of the species could prove difficult. One way is to move the insects from a threatened environment to a more secure stream. Stoneflies do have wings, but these particular species aren’t known for long flights.
The public can comment on the proposed listing by going to: https://www.regulations.gov by searching for Docket Number FWS–R6–ES–2016–0086.
Submit comments by clicking on the “Comment Now!” button.
They can also comment in writing to:
Public Comments Processing
Attn: Docket No. FWS–R6–ES–2016–0086
U.S. Fish & Wildlife, MS: BPHC
5275 Leesburg Pike
Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.