CNDDB News Blog

The following CNDDB documents have been updated:

• Special Vascular Plants, Bryophytes, and Lichens List (PDF)
• Endangered, Threatened, and Rare Plants List (PDF)
• Changes to the CNDDB Special Vascular Plants, Bryophytes, and Lichens List (PDF)
• Special Animals List (PDF)
• Endangered and Threatened Animals List (PDF)

Links to the T&E and Special Plants/Animals lists can be found on the CNDDB Plants and Animals web page. More information about state listing can be found on the California Fish and Game Commission CESA web page and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife CESA web page. If you have any questions about these lists, please email us at CNDDB@wildlife.ca.gov.

The following CNDDB documents have been updated:

• Special Vascular Plants, Bryophytes, and Lichens List (PDF)
• Endangered, Threatened, and Rare Plants List (PDF)
• Changes to the CNDDB Special Vascular Plants, Bryophytes, and Lichens List (PDF)
• Special Animals List (PDF)
• Endangered and Threatened Animals List (PDF)

Links to the T&E and Special Plants/Animals lists can be found on the CNDDB Plants and Animals web page. More information about state listing can be found on the California Fish and Game Commission CESA web page and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife CESA web page. If you have any questions about these lists, please email us at CNDDB@wildlife.ca.gov.

Photo: Morro manzanita (Arctostaphylos morroensis). CDFW photo by Kristi Lazar.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will be conducting a status review for Morro manzanita (Arctostaphylos morroensis) to inform the California Fish and Game Commission's decision on whether to list the species as endangered under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA). As part of this process, CDFW is soliciting information regarding the species’ ecology, genetics, life history, distribution, abundance, habitat, the degree and immediacy of threats to its reproduction or survival, the adequacy of existing management and recommendations for management of the species. The CNDDB would like to encourage anyone who has observed Morro manzanita to submit their findings to us. People who have questions or comments about the review process should email our Native Plant Program. The deadline for both data submission and comments is August 18, 2025 to allow us sufficient time for evaluation.

Morro manzanita is an evergreen shrub in the heath family (Ericaceae). It is endemic to the Los Osos area of coastal San Luis Obispo County, California and occurs primarily on stabilized sand dunes associated with Baywood fine sand. In the early 1990s, Morro manzanita was estimated to have an area of occupancy of 340 to 360 ha (840 to 890 ac) which is a decrease from historical estimates of 800 to 1,100 ha (1,977 to 2,718 ac). Fire plays an important role in the long-term persistence of Morro manzanita. While Morro manzanita is killed by fire, the species depends on fire to stimulate the germination of viable seed in the soil seed bank in order to persist in the landscape. Present and potential future threats include clearing of habitat for development, invasive plant species, stochastic events, climate change, and sudden oak death pathogen (Phytophthora ramorum).

On July 20, 2024, Dr. Christopher Kofron and Dr. Claudia Tyler submitted a petition to the California Fish and Game Commission to list Morro manzanita as an endangered species under CESA. The Commission published findings of its decision to make the species a candidate for listing as an endangered species on May 16, 2025, and as such, Morro manzanita now receives the same legal protection afforded to an endangered or threatened species (Fish and Game Code sections 2074.2 and 2085). Take of this species is prohibited without an appropriate permit for scientific, educational or management purposes. For more information on permitting, visit our CESA permits page.

We need your help in better understanding the status of Morro manzanita. If you have ever found them in the wild, submit your findings to us through our Online Field Survey Form. Together, we can help the Fish and Game Commission make an informed decision on the listing proposal for the Morro manzanita.

The following CNDDB documents have been updated:

• Special Vascular Plants, Bryophytes, and Lichens List (PDF)
• Endangered, Threatened, and Rare Plants List (PDF)
• Changes to the CNDDB Special Vascular Plants, Bryophytes, and Lichens List (PDF)
• Special Animals List (PDF)
• Endangered and Threatened Animals List (PDF)

Links to the T&E and Special Plants/Animals lists can be found on the CNDDB Plants and Animals web page. More information about state listing can be found on the California Fish and Game Commission CESA web page and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife CESA web page. If you have any questions about these lists, please email us at CNDDB@wildlife.ca.gov.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has initiated two five-year species reviews for the state threatened Calistoga popcornflower (Plagiobothrys strictus) and the state endangered Napa bluegrass (Poa napensis) to evaluate if the conditions that led to the original listing have changed and to provide recommendations regarding the species’ status and management to the California Fish and Game Commission (Commission).

These five-year species reviews will inform the Commission's decision on whether to retain or change the status of the species under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA). As part of this process, the CNDDB would like to encourage anyone who has observed Calistoga popcornflower and/or Napa bluegrass to submit their findings to us. People who have questions or comments about the review process should email our Native Plant Program. The deadline to submit data and comments is Friday May 16, 2025, to allow us sufficient time for evaluation.

Calistoga popcornflower and Napa bluegrass are annual plants that overlap in vernal pool habitat and occur exclusively in Calistoga in Napa County. There are only 3 known populations of Calistoga popcornflower and 2 known populations of Napa bluegrass left in the world. Calistoga popcornflower was listed as threatened under CESA in 1990 and Napa bluegrass was originally listed as endangered and afforded protection under the Native Plant Protection Act in 1979 and then under CESA in 1984 when plants became a part of CESA (Fish & G. Code, §2050 et seq.). The purpose of a five-year species review is to use the best scientific information available to determine if the conditions that led to the original species listing are still present or have changed since listing, and recommend to retain or change the status of the species (Fish & G. Code, §§ 2072.3 & 2077). Process information, along with recently completed reviews, are available on our web page for Five-year Reviews of Rare, Threatened and Endangered Species. Take of these species is prohibited without an appropriate permit for scientific, educational or management purposes. For more information on permitting, visit our CESA permits web page.

We need your help in better understanding the threatened status of Calistoga popcornflower and the endangered status of Napa bluegrass. If you have ever found them in the wild, submit your findings to us through our Online Field Survey Form.

The following CNDDB documents have been updated:

• Special Vascular Plants, Bryophytes, and Lichens List (PDF)
• Endangered, Threatened, and Rare Plants List (PDF)
• Changes to the CNDDB Special Vascular Plants, Bryophytes, and Lichens List (PDF)
• Special Animals List (PDF)
• Endangered and Threatened Animals List (PDF)

Links to the T&E and Special Plants/Animals lists can be found on the CNDDB Plants and Animals web page. More information about state listing can be found on the California Fish and Game Commission CESA web page and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife CESA web page. If you have any questions about these lists, please email us at CNDDB@wildlife.ca.gov.

Bear Lake buckwheat (Eriogonum microtheca var. lacus-ursi)
CDFW photo by Kristi Lazar

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will be conducting a status review for Bear Lake buckwheat to inform the California Fish and Game Commission's decision on whether to list the species under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA). More details about the listing proposal and CDFW's request for public comments may be found in our CDFW newsletter. As part of this process, CDFW is soliciting information regarding the species’ ecology, genetics, life history, distribution, abundance, habitat, the degree and immediacy of threats to its reproduction or survival, the adequacy of existing management and recommendations for management of the species. The CNDDB would like to encourage anyone who has observed Bear Lake buckwheat to submit their findings to us. People who have questions or comments about the review process should email our Native Plant Program. The deadline for both data submission and comments is February 10, 2025 to allow us sufficient time for evaluation.

Bear Lake buckwheat (Eriogonum microtheca var. lacus-ursi) is a subshrub in the buckwheat family with only a single known occurrence on the south shore of Big Bear Lake in San Bernardino County, California. Bear Lake buckwheat grows on a unique substrate of gray, silty, clay soil in a Jeffrey pine and juniper woodland. Bear Lake buckwheat occupies an area of less than 0.18 acre on a parcel of private property that is being leased to the City of Big Bear Lake. The main threats to Bear Lake buckwheat are habitat modification or destruction from development of the property where the species occurs, human disturbances (off-road vehicle use, littering/trash dumping, and footpaths/trampling), effects of small population size, and fire and fuel reduction activities.

On July 16, 2024, CDFW’s Native Plant Program submitted a petition to the California Fish and Game Commission to list Bear Lake buckwheat as an endangered species under CESA. The Commission published findings of its decision to make the species a candidate for listing as an endangered species on October 25, 2024, and as such, Bear Lake buckwheat now receives the same legal protection afforded to an endangered or threatened species (Fish and Game Code sections 2074.2 and 2085). Take of this species is prohibited without an appropriate permit for scientific, educational or management purposes. For more information on permitting, visit our CESA permits page.

We need your help in better understanding the status of Bear Lake buckwheat. If you have ever found the species in the wild, submit your findings to us through our Online Field Survey Form. Together, we can help the Fish and Game Commission make an informed decision on the listing proposal for the Bear Lake buckwheat.

Our barred owl datasets have been updated! 

Barred Owl Observations by PLSS Section [ds2873] is available to view and to download in the BIOS Viewer. This layer summarizes the information contained in the Barred Owl Observations Database and allows users to see PLSS sections containing barred owl detections as well as the first and last years that owls were reported in those sections.

Barred Owl Observations [ds8] is available in the BIOS Viewer for CNDDB subscribers. The barred owl database includes barred owl (Strix varia), Strix hybrid, and unknown Strix detections. This dataset is only available to view and download by CNDDB subscribers because it contains references to sensitive spotted owl locations. To download the dataset, navigate the CNDDB Data Updates page and click on Subscriber Downloads. For site-specific inquiries, email owlobs@wildlife.ca.gov.

Due to the varied nature of barred owl surveys, detections, and reporting in the state, these datasets may not fully represent the historical and current distribution of barred owls in California.

For more information on barred owls in California, check out CDFW’s Barred Owl Threat web page.

The following CNDDB documents have been updated:

• Special Vascular Plants, Bryophytes, and Lichens List (PDF)
• Endangered, Threatened, and Rare Plants List (PDF)
• Changes to the CNDDB Special Vascular Plants, Bryophytes, and Lichens List (PDF)
• Special Animals List (PDF)
• Endangered and Threatened Animals List (PDF)

Links to the T&E and Special Plants/Animals lists can be found on the CNDDB Plants and Animals web page. More information about state listing can be found on the California Fish and Game Commission CESA web page and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife CESA web page. If you have any questions about these lists, please email us at CNDDB@wildlife.ca.gov.

Longfin smelt photograph by Bill Stagnaro(opens in new tab) (CC BY-SA 3.0(opens in new tab)) from Mare Island, Solano County, California

Longfin smelt (Spirinchus thaleichthys) are relatively small (10-20 cm) anadromous fish with characteristically long pectoral fins that can be found in middle or deeper parts of the water column of estuaries and bays from California to Alaska. Longfin smelt were listed throughout their range in California as Threatened under the California Endangered Species Act in 2009. Recently, due to ongoing threats from altered hydrology, nonnative species, and effects of climate change, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) ruled that the San Francisco Bay-Delta distinct population segment (DPS) of the longfin smelt is Federally Endangered (effective 29 August 2024).

Because different populations in California now have different legal status, CNDDB has added a new species record for the Bay-Delta DPS and split our Element Occurrence records based on these populations. The following are our two species records representing this taxon along with their general distribution based on the USFWS’s recent descriptions and map figures:

• Longfin smelt (Spirinchus thaleichthys)
  • State Threatened
  • Coastal estuaries north of the Russian River (primarily Humboldt Bay) and south of Pillar Point, Half Moon Bay.
• Longfin smelt - San Francisco Bay-Delta DPS (Spirinchus thaleichthys pop. 2)
  • State Threatened
  • Federally Endangered
  • Gulf of the Farallones from Russian River to Pillar Point, Half Moon Bay, and salt and freshwater habitats upstream of the Golden Gate including the San Francisco Bay, Sacramento - San Joaquin River Delta, and their tributaries where found.

References

• California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB). July 2024. State and Federally Listed Endangered and Threatened Animals of California(opens in new tab). California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Sacramento, CA.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2024a. Endangered Species Status for the San Francisco Bay-Delta Distinct Population Segment of the Longfin Smelt, Final Rule(opens in new tab). Federal Register 89(146):61029-61049.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2024b. Species Status Assessment for the San Francisco Bay-Delta Distinct Population Segment of the Longfin Smelt(opens in new tab). Version 2.0. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. San Francisco Bay-Delta Fish and Wildlife Office, Sacramento, California. 105 pp. + Appendices A–E.