2003 Montana Animal Species of Concern List
The 2003 Montana Animals Species of Concern List is now available. View the PDF document here.
The Animal Species of Concern report is issued jointly by the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks (MFWP) and the Montana Natural Heritage Program (MTNHP) and is the result of an agreement between MFWP and MTNHP to determine the status of and manage the data associated with Montana Animal Species of Concern (MASC).
Previously, separate species of concern lists created independently by MFWP and MTNHP caused confusion for the public and agency personnel. In November of 2000 MFWP and MTNHP agreed to create one list of Montana Animal Species of Concern.
The list and ranks assigned to animal species of concern in Montana is used to prioritize data acquisition by MTNHP and MFWP, and provide information to others on the current status of these species. Species are considered
"species of concern" if they have particular threats, eclining population trends, or restricted distribution that warrant special attention.The list is developed by the Montana Animal Species of Concern Committee, which includes staff of MTNHP and MFWP, representatives of the Montana Chapter of the Wildlife Society and the Montana Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, and biologists with knowledge of specific taxa. Inclusion on the list is based on information in the scientific literature, unpublished reports, agency databases, field research, and field inventories. This information comes from a variety of cooperating local, state and federal agencies, private organizations and businesses, academic researchers, and interested individuals.