Species of Greatest Conservation Need

1279 species
Taxonomic Group
Federal Status
State Status
Endemic

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Species of Greatest Conservation Need (Updated: 01/31/2024)
Common Name Scientifc Name Taxonomic Group Federal Status State Status Global Rank State Rank Endemic General Habitat Type(s)
tawny-bellied cotton rat Sigmodon fulviventer Mammals Not Listed T G5 S1 False Known in Texas from a single location in the Trans-Pecos. Insufficient information to determine habitat preferences.
western spotted skunk Spilogale gracilis Mammals Not Listed Not Listed G5 S5 False Brushy canyons, rocky outcrops (rimrock) on hillsides and walls of canyons. In semi-arid brushlands in U.S., in wet tropical forests in Mexico. When inactive or bearing young, occupies den in rocks, burrow, hollow log, brush pile, or under building.
eastern spotted skunk Spilogale putorius Mammals Not Listed Not Listed G4 S1S3 False Generalist; open fields prairies, croplands, fence rows, farmyards, forest edges & woodlands. Prefer wooded, brushy areas & tallgrass prairies. S.p. ssp. interrupta found in wooded areas and tallgrass prairies, preferring rocky canyons and outcrops when such sites are available.
swamp rabbit Sylvilagus aquaticus Mammals Not Listed Not Listed G5 S5 False Primarily found in lowland areas near water including: cypress bogs and marshes, floodplains, creeks and rivers.
Davis Mountains cottontail Sylvilagus robustus Mammals Not Listed Not Listed G1G2 S3 False Primarily limited to the Davis Mountains in the Trans Pecos . Brushy pastures, brushy edges of cultivated fields, and well-drained streamsides; active mostly at twilight and at night, where they may forage in a variety of habitats, including open pastures, meadows, or even lawns; rest during daytime in thickets or in underground burrows and small culverts; feed on grasses, forbs, twigs and bark; not sociable and seldom seen feeding together
gray-footed chipmunk Tamias canipes Mammals Not Listed Not Listed G4 S2S3 False High elevation (1800-2500 meters) forest-dwelling chipmunk occurring in dense stands of mixed timber and on brushy hillsides with rock crevices or downed logs along forest edges. Occurs in Texas only in the Sierra Diablo and Guadalupe Mountains in the Trans-Pecos; favorite habitat is downed logs near edges of clearings; also occur in dense stands of mixed timber (oaks, pines, firs) and on brushy hillsides, especially with rock crevices.
Guadalupe southern pocket gopher Thomomys bottae guadalupensis Mammals Not Listed Not Listed G5T2 S2 False Known from Guadalupe Mountains; habitat variable, ranging from loose sands and silts to tight clays; dry deserts to montane meadows; active year round, mostly underground; diet variable, but mostly roots and tubers; breeds continuously, but main season in spring
Limpia southern pocket gopher Thomomys bottae limpiae Mammals Not Listed Not Listed G5T2 S2 True Limpia Canyon area of Davis Mountains; habitat variable, ranging from loose sands and silts to tight clays; active year round, mostly underground; diet variable, but mostly roots and tubers; breeds continuously, but main season in spring
Limpia Creek pocket gopher Thomomys bottae texensis Mammals Not Listed Not Listed G5T2 S2 True Throughout Davis Mountains; habitat variable, ranging from lower canyons to higher coniferous woodlands; loose sands and silts to tight clays; dry deserts to montane meadows; active year round, mostly underground; diet variable, but mostly roots and tubers; breeds continuously, but main season in spring
black bear Ursus americanus Mammals Not Listed T G5 S3 False Generalist. Historically found throughout Texas. In Chisos, prefers higher elevations where pinyon-oaks predominate; also occasionally sighted in desert scrub of Trans-Pecos (Black Gap Wildlife Management Area) and Edwards Plateau in juniper-oak habitat. For ssp. luteolus, bottomland hardwoods, floodplain forests, upland hardwoods with mixed pine; marsh. Bottomland hardwoods and large tracts of inaccessible forested areas.
Louisiana black bear Ursus americanus luteolus Mammals Not Listed T G5T2 SNA False Bottomland hardwoods, floodplain forests, upland hardwoods with mixed pine; marsh. Possible as transient; bottomland hardwoods and large tracts of inaccessible forested areas.
swift fox Vulpes velox Mammals Not Listed Not Listed G3 S1? False Restricted to current and historic shortgrass prairie. Open deserts or grasslands; sparsely vegetated habitats; western and northern portions of Panhandle.
blue whale Balaenoptera musculus Marine - Mammals LE E G3G4 SH False Inhabits tropical, subtropical, temperate, and subpolar waters worldwide, but are infrequently sighted in the Gulf of Mexico. They migrate seasonally between summer feeding grounds and winter breeeding grounds, but specifics vary. Commonly observed at the surface in open ocean.
finback whale Balaenoptera physalus Marine - Mammals LE E G3G4 S1 False Inhabit tropical, subtropical, temperate, and subpolar waters worldwide, but are less common in the tropics preferring cooler water. Commonly found in deep, offshore waters and migrate in the open ocean from the poles (feeding grounds) to warmer waters in the winter to give birth. They feed on krill, squid, and small schooling fish sometimes with other baleen whale species. They are very rare in the Gulf of Mexico and reported sightings are likely vagrants (Witt et al. 2011).
North Atlantic right whale Eubalaena glacialis Marine - Mammals LE E G1 S1 False Inhabits subtropical and temperate waters in the northern Atlantic. Commonly found in coastal waters or clsoe to the continental shelf near the surface. They migrate from feeding grounds in cooler waters (Canada and New England) to warmer waters of the southeast US (South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida) to give birth in the fall/winter - both areas are identified as critical habitat by NOAA-NMFS. Nursery areas are in shallow, coastal waters. This species is very rare in the Gulf of Mexico and the few reported sightings are likely vagrants (Ward-Geiger etal 2011).
pygmy killer whale Feresa attenuata Marine - Mammals Not Listed T G4 S1 False Inhabit tropical and subtropical waters worldwide, including the Gulf of Mexico. Commonly found in deeper, offshore waters where they dive for their prey (squids and fishes), but may occassionally occur close to shore. They are very rare and migration patterns are unknown.
short-finned pilot whale Globicephala macrorhynchus Marine - Mammals Not Listed T G5 S1 False Inhabit tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters worldwide, including the Gulf of Mexico. Commonly found in deeper waters (>1,000 feet) and continental shelf where they make deep dives to capture squid, but may come closer to shore. Migration patterns unknown.
pygmy sperm whale Kogia breviceps Marine - Mammals Not Listed T G4 S1 False Inhabits tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters world wide. Commonly found in deep water over the continental slope and rarely seen at the surface. Dives to great depths (over 1,000 feet) to hunt for squid, fish, and crustaceans.Migration patterns are unknown.
dwarf sperm whale Kogia simus Marine - Mammals Not Listed T G4 S1 False Inhabits tropical and temperate waters world wide, Commonly found in deep waters near the continental shelf and rarely seen at the surface, but may be more coastal than the pygmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps). Dives to great depths (1,000 feet) to hunt for squid, fish, and crustaceans. Migration patterns are unknown.
humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae Marine - Mammals LE Not Listed G4 SNR False Inhabits tropical, subtropical, temperate, and subpolar waters world wide. Migrate up to 5,000 miles between colder water (feeding grounds) and warmer water (calving grounds) each year. They will use both open ocean and coastal waters, sometimes including inshore areas such as bays, and are often found near the surface; however, this species is rare in the Gulf of Mexico. The northwest Atlantic/Gulf of Mexico distinct population segment is not considered at risk of extinction and is not listed as Endangered on the Endangered Species Act.
Gervais's beaked whale Mesoplodon europaeus Marine - Mammals Not Listed T G3 S1 False Inhabit tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters of the northern Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean. Commonly found in deep water and open ocean where they prey upon squids. They are difficult to distinguish from others in their family (Mesoplodon) and are cryptic and skittish, but the most commonly stranded species on the US southeastern coast. Migration patterns are unknown.
killer whale Orcinus orca Marine - Mammals Not Listed T G4G5 S1 False Inhabits tropical, subtropical, temperate, and polar waters world wide. In the Gulf of Mexico, they are commonly found in oceanic waters ranging from 256-2,652 meters deep beyond the 1,000 meter isobath and a very rarely found over the continental shelf and may be entirely absent from nearshore waters. May come in contact with pelagic longline fisheries targeting tunas and billfishes.
sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus Marine - Mammals LE E G3G4 S1 False Inhabits tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters world wide, avoiding icey waters. Distribution is highly dependent on their food source (squids, sharks, skates, and fish), breeding, and composition of the pod. In general, this species migrates from north to south in the winter and south to north in the summer; however, individuals in tropical and temperate waters don't seem to migrate at all. Routinely dive to catch their prey (2,000-10,000 feet) and generally occupies water at least 3,300 feet deep near ocean trenches.
false killer whale Pseudorca crassidens Marine - Mammals Not Listed T G4 S1 False Inhabit tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters world wide, including the Gulf of Mexico. Commonly found in deep, offshore waters deeper than 3,300 feet, making dives of up to 2,000 meters to catch their prey (fishes and squids). Gulf of Mexico distinct population segment is not well studied.
Atlantic spotted dolphin Stenella frontalis Marine - Mammals Not Listed T G5 S1 False Inhabit warm tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters throughout the Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico. Commonly found along the continental shelf and coastal waters that are 65-820 feet deep, usually inside or near 185 m contour (within 250-350 km of coast); occassionally found in deeper waters. Often dive to 30-200 feet preying upon fish, invertebrates, and cephalopods.