Species of Greatest Conservation Need

**Species of Greatest Conservation Need** (Updated: 06/16/2025)
Scientifc Name	Common Name	Taxonomic Group	SGCN Status	Federal Status	State Status	Global Rank	State Rank	Endemic	General Habitat Type(s)
Spilogale putorius	eastern spotted skunk	Mammals	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G4	S1S3	No	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.
Sylvilagus robustus	Davis Mountains cottontail	Mammals	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G1G2	S3	No	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
Tamias canipes	gray-footed chipmunk	Mammals	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G4	S2S3	No	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.
Thomomys bottae guadalupensis	Guadalupe southern pocket gopher	Mammals	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5T2	S2	No	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
Thomomys bottae limpiae	Limpia southern pocket gopher	Mammals	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5T2	S2	Yes	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
Thomomys bottae texensis	Limpia Creek pocket gopher	Mammals	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5T2	S2	Yes	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
Ursus americanus	black bear	Mammals	Yes	Not Listed	T 01/30/1997	G5	S3	No	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.
Ursus americanus luteolus	Louisiana black bear	Mammals	Yes	DL 03/11/2016	T 01/30/1997	G5T2	SNA	No	Bottomland hardwoods, floodplain forests, upland hardwoods with mixed pine; marsh. Possible as transient; bottomland hardwoods and large tracts of inaccessible forested areas.
Vulpes velox	swift fox	Mammals	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G3	S1?	No	Restricted to current and historic shortgrass prairie. Open deserts or grasslands; sparsely vegetated habitats; western and northern portions of Panhandle.