Species of Greatest Conservation Need
Almost 700 species of native Louisiana plants and animals are considered Species of Greatest Conservation Need, a designation that includes Louisiana's threatened and endangered species as well as uncommon species that rely on imperiled habitats (e.g. barrier islands) for survival. LDWF’s Wildlife Diversity Program’s taxonomic specialists, in conjunction with external subject-matter experts, have compiled lists of these rare plant and animal species to better focus conservation efforts on species most at-risk of serious decline, extirpation, or extinction.
Along with Louisiana's natural communities, occurrences of rare elements like Species of Greatest Conservation Need can be inventoried, mapped, and databased. Maintaining a database of these species helps ensure that proposed construction projects have the most up-to-date data to inform decisions on potential environmental impacts and helps promote a more holistic approach to conservation, in part by identifying focal species for public and private partners’ scientific studies and restoration projects. For example, identifying and mapping rare plants was instrumental in creating numerous conservation areas such as LDWF’s Lake Ramsay Savannah WMA and Tunica Hills WMA, and The Nature Conservancy of Louisiana’s CC Road Savanna Preserve.
We also provide plant fact sheets and animal fact sheets on a wide variety of rare Louisiana species.
Get Involved
We encourage input from the public regarding Species of Greatest Conservation Need. You can:
- Report a species via our rare species and natural communities reporting form or by contacting the appropriate staff listed below.
- Report any data indicating that a species should be added or removed from our list.
- Submit documentation of habitat stressors (e.g. illegal dumping of waste, presence of invasive species, etc.) that may threaten populations of animals or plants.
- Provide literature citations, references, or other information on the biology and ecology of our state's animal or plant species.
- Send in any other information that might be helpful in supporting the conservation, protection, or management of Louisiana’s animal and plant species and their habitats.
Contact Us
- Reptiles and amphibians: Keri Lejeune, klejeune@wlf.la.gov
- Birds: Rob Dobbs, rdobbs@wlf.la.gov
- Mammals/Invertebrates: Charles “Chuck” Battaglia, cbattaglia@wlf.la.gov
- Plants: Hannah Cauley-March, hcauley-march@wlf.la.gov and Layla Tagert, ltagert@wlf.la.gov