Species Protection
Protecting California’s Endangered Species
California is a global biodiversity hotspot – home to more species of plants and animals than any other state in the nation, including hundreds of endangered or threatened species. An endangered or threatened species is a plant or animal species that has a declining population and is therefore in danger of becoming extinct. Endangered and threatened species are designated (“listed”) at the state or federal level and include California birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians, crustaceans, mollusks, insects, pollinators, and many plants.
At the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR), we protect California’s endangered and threatened species from risks associated with pesticide use through work that includes:
- Hosting a centralized on-demand database of endangered species locations and pesticide use information needed to assist pesticide users in adopting practices that protect endangered species;
- Frequently performing education and outreach presentations focusing on endangered species protection; and
- Directly consulting and coordinating on endangered species issues with federal and state regulatory agencies, including but not limited to the US Environmental Protection Agency, US Department of Agriculture, US Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, California Department of Food and Agriculture, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and local County Agricultural Commissioners.
Reducing Pesticide Application Impacts to Endangered Species with PRESCRIBE
Endangered and threatened species can be unintentionally harmed by pesticide applications made within or near their habitat or by ingesting prey that consumed or was exposed to a pesticide that is also harmful to the protected species. When pesticide applicators understand the non-target hazards of pesticide use, they can take actions to avoid non-target exposures to protected species.
Our Pesticide Regulation’s Endangered Species Custom Real-time Internet Bulletin Engine (PRESCRIBE) online database application helps pesticide applicators find out if there are any endangered or threatened species in the vicinity of their application site and identifies the product-specific pesticide use limitations that should be followed to minimize pesticide exposure risk and unintended hazards to those species.
Search PRESCRIBE via a desktop application or download the free mobile application.
Endangered Species Education and Outreach Resources for Pesticide Applicators
We have a variety of education and outreach materials and presentations for pesticide applicators to support endangered species protections. Additional cards and Spanish-versions of materials are also available by request.
U.S. EPA’s Bulletins Live! Two and Mitigation Menu
To improve protection for federally threatened and endangered (listed) species and meet Endangered Species Act obligations, the U.S. EPA’s Endangered Species Protection Program has developed projects and strategies: an Herbicide Strategy, an Insecticide Strategy, a Rodenticide Strategy, and a Vulnerable Species Action Plan.
To fulfill the requirements in the projects and strategies, new or renewed pesticide labels will begin to include additional mitigation information on the product label. If geographically-specific limitations are necessary to protect listed species, U.S. EPA develops Bulletins to put necessary mitigations into place. Pesticide labels may refer users to Bulletins Live! Two (BLT), a web-based application to access Endangered Species Protection Bulletins. Bulletins are enforceable as part of product labeling.
More information about BLT and U.S. EPA’s mitigation menu can be found in the following resources.
U.S. EPA’s Pesticide App for Label Mitigations
U.S. EPA Pesticides and Endangered Species Educational Resources Toolbox
Field Identification Cards
Learn how to identify species biology, habitat and appearance. Identification cards are available in English and Spanish. Contact us to request Spanish versions of these resources.
Court Mandates for Protection of Endangered Species
Court orders and mandates to protect endangered species.
Federal Register Notices
The Federal Register is the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations. Federal Register notices provide useful information on endangered species including the reason for listing, key biological information, and contact persons.
Presentations and Additional Information on Endangered Species
We provide presentations on specific endangered species protections. You can request presentations in PDF form by contacting us directly.
- Accelerating Sustainable Pest Management in California Through DPR’s Endangered Species Program
- Blunt-nosed leopard lizard
- Bulletins Live! Two: EPA’s Database as linked with DPR’s PRESCRIBE Database
- California red-legged frog
- California red-legged frog stipulated Injunction and Order
- Update to Court-ordered Pesticide-use Buffer Zones for Protection of Salmonids
- Court-ordered Pesticide-use Buffer Zones for Protection of Salmonids
- Desert tortoise
- EPA’s Early Mitigation Menu Website for Protection of Endangered Species – Runoff/Erosion
- EPA’s Early Mitigation Menu Website for Protection of Endangered Species – Spray Drift
- Giant garter snake
- Habitats of 11 Endangered Species included in the San Francisco Bay Area Pesticide Injunction and Order
- Kangaroo rats
- PRESCRIBE: Database for Protection of Endangered Species from Pesticide Exposure
- Riparian Brush rabbit and Riparian Wood rat
- Salt Marsh Harvest mouse
- San Francisco Bay Area Pesticide Injunction and Order for Protection of Endangered Species
- San Francisco garter snake
- San Joaquin kit fox
- Sustainable Pest Management and DPR’s Endangered Species Program Applied in the Protection of Endangered Species from Rodenticides
- Sustainable Pest Management and DPR’s Endangered Species Program Applied in the Protection of Endangered Species of Aquatic Habitats
- Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle
- Vertebrate Pest Control and Endangered Species
State and Federal Programs
Explore state and federal endangered species programs and lists.
Pollinator Protection
Californians depend on managed bees and other pollinators to help produce many of our state’s agricultural products and to maintain a healthy environment.
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Still have a Question or Need More Information?
Please contact us with questions or visit the Contact Us page on our website to connect with other programs at DPR.