Questions on Endangered Species

I occasionally get email or comment to the blog asking about how to report a sighting of a rare species and questions about identifying a species seen. Although I have been a volunteer with the Endangered and Nongame Species program for quite awhile, I'm no expert on all the flora and fauna of the state.

Recently you might have seen a post I put up about a frog species that a reader wanted to identify. I was hoping the "wisdom of the crowd" might identify it.

And this month I also got an inquiry from someone in Hillsborough who sees a peregrine falcon in a nearby woods regularly. "Anonymous" wondered if that might help prevent development of those woods.

I replied that the appearance of an endangered species doesn't immediately qualify an area for protection, though nesting might. I suggested looking at http://www.conservewildlifenj.org/protecting/projects/peregrine/ and trying to use the contact listed there.

Also, there is information from the state about reporting a rare species at http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/ensp/rprtform.htm

And if you have suggestions about that frog or the peregrine situation, or other people and places to contact about endangered and threatened species, please leave a comment.