A Keystone Species
Why they matter…
A Keystone Species
Why they matter…
A Keystone Species
Why they matter…
A Keystone Species
Why they matter…
A member of the grouse family and can be found in four main ecosystems across its five state range of Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado and New Mexico. Once numbering in the millions across nearly one hundred million acres, as of 2022 (the last year annual aerial surveys were performed by WAFWA) there are only estimated to be approximately 26,591 birds left. Aerial surveys began in 2012, the population is down overall and down to perilously low levels in the shinnery oak region in eastern New Mexico and Western Texas and also in the Sand Sagebrush eco region. In addition there has been ZERO progress made towards the WAFWA Range-Wide Plan ten year goals of increasing the population to a ten year average of 67,000 birds, securing at least one stronghold in each of the four ecosystems or restoring 1,000,000 acres across the birds range. Overall, these few remaining Lesser Prairie Chickens are spread across a mostly disconnected landscape that covers approximately 20 million acres and continues to be threatened by the mega-trends of habitat loss and fragmentation.
A member of the grouse family and can be found in four main ecosystems across its five state range of Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado and New Mexico. Once numbering in the millions across nearly one hundred million acres, as of 2022 (the last year annual aerial surveys were performed by WAFWA) there are only estimated to be approximately 26,591 birds left. Aerial surveys began in 2012, the population is down overall and down to perilously low levels in the shinnery oak region in eastern New Mexico and Western Texas and also in the Sand Sagebrush eco region. In addition there has been ZERO progress made towards the WAFWA Range-Wide Plan ten year goals of increasing the population to a ten year average of 67,000 birds, securing at least one stronghold in each of the four ecosystems or restoring 1,000,000 acres across the birds range. Overall, these few remaining Lesser Prairie Chickens are spread across a mostly disconnected landscape that covers approximately 20 million acres and continues to be threatened by the mega-trends of habitat loss and fragmentation.
A member of the grouse family and can be found in four main ecosystems across its five state range of Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado and New Mexico. Once numbering in the millions across nearly one hundred million acres, as of 2022 (the last year annual aerial surveys were performed by WAFWA) there are only estimated to be approximately 26,591 birds left. Aerial surveys began in 2012, the population is down overall and down to perilously low levels in the shinnery oak region in eastern New Mexico and Western Texas and also in the Sand Sagebrush eco region. In addition there has been ZERO progress made towards the WAFWA Range-Wide Plan ten year goals of increasing the population to a ten year average of 67,000 birds, securing at least one stronghold in each of the four ecosystems or restoring 1,000,000 acres across the birds range. Overall, these few remaining Lesser Prairie Chickens are spread across a mostly disconnected landscape that covers approximately 20 million acres and continues to be threatened by the mega-trends of habitat loss and fragmentation.
A member of the grouse family and can be found in four main ecosystems across its five state range of Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado and New Mexico. Once numbering in the millions across nearly one hundred million acres, as of 2022 (the last year annual aerial surveys were performed by WAFWA) there are only estimated to be approximately 26,591 birds left. Aerial surveys began in 2012, the population is down overall and down to perilously low levels in the shinnery oak region in eastern New Mexico and Western Texas and also in the Sand Sagebrush eco region. In addition there has been ZERO progress made towards the WAFWA Range-Wide Plan ten year goals of increasing the population to a ten year average of 67,000 birds, securing at least one stronghold in each of the four ecosystems or restoring 1,000,000 acres across the birds range. Overall, these few remaining Lesser Prairie Chickens are spread across a mostly disconnected landscape that covers approximately 20 million acres and continues to be threatened by the mega-trends of habitat loss and fragmentation.
