New Mexico Biopark Society Inc

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE RIO GRANDE SILVERY MINNOW PROGRAM IN THE AQUATIC CONSERVATION FACILITY

O&M OF THE RGSM PRGRAM IN THE AQUATIC CO

ESTABLISHING VIABLE FEDERALLY-ENDANGERED SPRINGSNAIL REFUGE POPULATIONS AT THE ALBUQUERQUE BIOPARK AQUATIC CONSERVATION FACILITY. SPRINGSNAILS ARE AMONG THE MOST DIVERSE AND IMPERILED MOLLUSKS IN NORTH AMERICA DUE TO GROUNDWATER PUMPING, LIVESTOCK GRAZING, AND INCREASED RISK OF DROUGHT DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE. MANY SPRINGSNAIL SPECIES ARE VULNERABLE TO EXTINCTION BECAUSE THEY OFTEN OCCUPY NARROW GEOGRAPHIC RANGES CONSISTING OF A SINGLE SPRING OR SPRING COMPLEX. THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP HUSBANDRY TECHNIQUES FOR TWO SPECIES OF FEDERALLYENDANGERED SPRINGSNAIL, THE ROSWELL SPRINGSNAIL (PYRGULOPSIS ROSWELLENSIS) AND THE KOSTER S SPRINGSNAIL (JUTURNIA KOSTERI). THESE TWO SPECIES ARE OFTEN FOUND SYMPATRICALLY IN SPRING VENTS. ALL KNOWN EXTANT POPULATIONS FOR BOTH SPECIES OCCUR ON BITTER LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE (NWR IN ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO. BITTER CREEK, AN AREA OF CRITICAL HABITAT FOR BOTH SPECIES, EXPERIENCES REDUCED FLOW IN THE SUMMER BECAUSE THE WATER TABLE LOWERS DUE TO PUMPING OF GROUNDWATER IN THE PECOS VALLEY. IN RECENT YEARS, SECTIONS OF THE CREEK HAVE COMPLETELY DRIED AND APPEAR TO HAVE LOST SPRINGSNAIL POPULATIONS. THEREFORE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE A CONTINGENCY PLAN IN PLACE IN CASE WATER LEVELS IN SPRINGS BECOME TOO LOW TO SUPPORT SNAIL POPULATIONS. THIS PROJECT WOULD FURTHER THE RECOVERY PLAN FOR THESE SPECIES BY DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE CAPTIVE PROPAGATION AND CONTINGENCY PLAN FOR THE DRYING OF SPRINGSNAIL HABITAT ON BITTER LAKE NWR. FURTHER THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP A CAPTIVE BREEDING PROGRAM THAT WILL PROVIDE INDIYIDUALS TO AUGMENT WILD POPULATIONS. THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO FURTHER OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE LIFE HISTORY OF THESE TWO SPECIES COULD PROVIDE A BASIS FOR A FUTURE CAPTIVE BREEDING PROGRAM.

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE RIO GRANDE SILVERY MINNOW REARING AND BREEDING FACILITY