Montana/Dakotas Threatened and Endangered Species Program
BLM Montana/Dakotas manages diverse habitats for ESA listed and proposed species across our three states. A total of 23 federally listed (threatened or endangered) and proposed species may occur on a variety of diverse lands managed by the BLM in Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Additionally, the BLM currently manages critical habitats for Canada lynx, bull trout, and piping plover. ESA proposed and listed species which may occur on BLM-managed public lands across Montana-Dakotas includes six mammals, four birds, three fish, two aquatic mollusks, five invertebrates, and three plants.
In addition to federally listed and proposed species, there are currently 117 species considered Bureau Sensitive Species in Montana/Dakotas. Listed, proposed, and candidate species are automatically considered BLM-sensitive and together comprise our special status species. BLM-sensitive species represent a broad array of vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants across Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Not all species are considered Bureau Sensitive Species across the entire tri-state area, but may have localized management concerns that warrant a sensitive status in a particular region.
BLM Montana/Dakotas has a long-standing partnership with the Montana State Library and Montana Natural Heritage Program (MTNHP) to collect, house, and manage wildlife species data, including BLM-sensitive species. MTNHP and the Montana State Library provide user interfaces and up to date species status and natural history information for wildlife and plants in Montana. The BLM also funds MTNHP to support development of similar services and products in the Dakotas to the extent practicable. The BLM partners with state wildlife agencies on a variety of projects and initiatives to further the missions and priorities of each agency. BLM also participated in the states’ recent revision of the State Wildlife Action Plans which will be used to inform future updates to the BLM Montana/Dakotas sensitive species list. The BLM partners with other agencies (eg, USGS, USFWS, and USFS), universities, and NGOs to inform and implement management actions for special status species.
Download BLM Montana/Dakotas Data