Endangered New Jersey: 50th anniversary of the New Jersey Endangered and Nongame Species Conservation Act

ENSP biologist Kathy Clark checks bald eagle nest

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the New Jersey Endangered and Nongame Species Conservation Act. This landmark legislation protects hundreds of wildlife species, including raptors such as bald eagles and ospreys, threatened shorebirds such as the piping plover and red knot, rare amphibians and reptiles such as the Eastern tiger salamander and timber rattlesnake, and even butterflies and freshwater mussels.

From the state's press release: “The New Jersey Endangered and Nongame Species Conservation Act was a milestone in the history of environmental protection, coming at a time when the environment was under siege from pollution, wanton use of pesticides and uncontrolled development,” said Commissioner Shawn LaTourette. “Without this law, many of the species that we enjoy today, from bald eagles to bobcats to bog turtles, might no longer be part of New Jersey’s landscape.

Fifty years on, the state encounters new threats including climate change, invasive species, illegal collection and roadway mortalities.

Governor William T. Cahill signed the New Jersey Endangered and Nongame Species Conservation Act into law on Dec. 14, 1973, two weeks before President Richard M. Nixon signed the federal Endangered Species Act. The state law established NJDEP Fish & Wildlife’s Endangered and Nongame Species Program (ENSP), a small, highly dedicated team supported by hundreds of volunteers throughout the state.

ENSP’s mission is to actively conserve New Jersey’s biological diversity by maintaining and enhancing endangered, threatened and nongame wildlife populations within healthy ecosystems. Today, ENSP is responsible for the protection and management of more than 500 wildlife species, including 83 currently listed as threatened or endangered.

The state has many success stories. Probably better known are ones such as the recovery of ospreys to their historic population size, the return of the peregrine falcon statewide; and the remarkable rebound of bald eagles. But there are also many species that get less attention by the public, such as the Eastern Tiger Salamander pictured here.

Eastern Tiger Salamander

Growing up to 8 inches long, the Eastern tiger salamander is the largest salamander in New Jersey, yet it is elusive and rarely seen. Historical distribution was across 10 counties. Today it is only found in parts of extreme southern New Jersey, and it has been lost from surrounding states. Conservation efforts focused on the vernal ponds they need for reproduction have slowed the decline in New Jersey, giving hope for this species.

The bald eagle was nearly extirpated in New Jersey and was down to one active nesting pair in the early 1980s. As a result of a comprehensive restoration program and a ban on the pesticide DDT, they now number more than 250 nesting pairs. This is considered one of New Jersey’s greatest wildlife conservation success stories.

At one time lost from the wild in all states east of the Mississippi River due to the pesticide DDT, the peregrine falcon is still considered endangered or threatened in many eastern states, but it has been restored to many natural cliffs and has adapted to the tallest urban buildings. Through reintroduction and careful management, New Jersey is now home to more than 40 pairs of these impressive birds of prey.

Those magnificent birds get a lot of love from the public, but other species, such as snakes and bats, still have a stigma surrounding them based on folk tales and misinformation.

White-nose syndrome is a fungus that decimated bat populations in eastern North America. In New Jersey, efforts to protect their populations include installing bat-friendly gates to protect hibernating bats from human disturbance during winter months; preserving land to safeguard important bat hibernacula and fall foraging habitat; improving communications with residents and nuisance wildlife control companies about proper handling of bats in buildings and using new techniques to study and monitor bats.