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Fish and Wildlife Service List of Southwest Endangered Species

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is a federal government agency. Its main aim is to manage fish, wildlife and habitats. The Endangered Species program is a unit within the service that identifies endangered species in regions and aims to reverse their threat of extinction. The Southwest region of the U.S. covers Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

Arizona
- The state of Arizona has 76 endangered species, as of 2011. Of that number, flowering plants are most at danger with 22 species facing the threat of extinction. These include the Acuna Cactus, Arizona Cliff-rose, Sentry milk-vetch, and the Lemon fleabane. Fish are the next species group that has a high number on the endangered list. Some of the 21 fish endangered include the humpback chub, roundtail chub, and Yaqui catfish. There are also 10 birds, nine mammals, four amphibians, four reptiles and five snail species on the list.
New Mexico
- Forty-five species are on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service list in New Mexico. The species group most at danger is fish. The Arkansas River shiner, Gila trout, razorback sucker and Gila chub are examples of the 15 endangered fish. Flowering plants are second highest on the list, with 13 under threat. These include the Knowlton cactus, Lee pincushion cactus and Pecos sunflower. Other larger species on the list for the state are the bald eagle, gray wolf, jaguar and the New Mexico ridgenose rattlesnake.
Oklahoma
- Oklahoma has the lowest number of species on the list in the Southwest region. Birds are considered most at risk, with eight varieties in danger. These include the American peregrine falcon, red-cockaded woodpecker, whooping crane and bald eagle. All three types of mammals endangered are bats -- the gray, Indiana and Ozark big-eared bat. There are also three species of clams that are on the list -- Neosho Mucket, Ouachita rock pocketbook and scaleshell mussel. The only insect on the list is the American burying beetle.
Texas
- The largest state in the Southwest, Texas has the largest endangered species list. It has 107 endangered fish and wildlife species. Flowering plants are the dominant species on the list, with 32 varieties acknowledged. Ashy dogweed, black lace cactus, Little Aguja Pondweed and slender rush-pea are endangered in Texas. The 15 endangered birds include the bald eagle, Mexican spotted owl, yellow-billed Cuckoo and golden cheeked warbler. Other animals recognized by the agency are the hawksbill sea turtle, Louisiana pine snake, sand dune Lizard, West Indiana Manatee and Concho water snake.

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