CNDDB News Blog

Photo Credit: Kristi Lazar, CDFW

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will be conducting a status review for the Inyo rock daisy (Perityle inyoensis) 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, the CNDDB would like to encourage anyone who has observed Inyo rock daisy 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 December 1, 2022 to allow us sufficient time for evaluation.

Inyo rock daisy is a perennial subshrub in the sunflower family that is endemic to the high elevation areas (2,019-2,774 m/6,623-9,100 ft) of the southern Inyo Mountains of Inyo County, California. It is restricted to rock outcrops high in calcium carbonate in pinyon woodlands, Joshua tree woodlands, and sagebrush shrublands. Inyo rock daisy is known from 26 occurrences with a global population estimate in the low thousands. The main threat to Inyo rock daisy is modification and/or destruction of habitat due to mineral exploration and mining activities. Other potential threats include invasive plant species, climate change, small population size, and tourism related to the development of the Cerro Gordo ghost town.

As of September 2, 2022, the Inyo rock daisy is considered a candidate species under CESA and will therefore receive the same legal protection afforded to an endangered or threatened species. 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 web page.

We need your help in better understanding the status of the Inyo rock daisy. 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 Inyo rock daisy.

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 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 CNDDB subscribers because it contains references to sensitive spotted owl locations. For a copy of the geodatabase or for site-specific inquiries, contact the database manager at 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 California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will be conducting a status review for the Temblor legless lizard (Anniella alexanderae) 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, the CNDDB would like to encourage anyone who has observed Temblor legless lizards to submit their findings to us. People who have questions or comments about the review process should email our Wildlife Branch. The deadline for both data submission and comments is October 1, 2022 to allow us sufficient time for evaluation.

The Temblor legless lizard is a unique, limbless lizard endemic to the alkali desert scrub and annual grasslands of the southwestern San Joaquin Valley, east of the Temblor mountains at 168-466m (551-1,529 ft.) elevation. This fossorial (burrowing) and crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk) species uses the ground surface, soil, and leaf litter for feeding and mating. Temblor legless lizards eat larval insects, adult beetles, termites, and spiders. Threats include habitat loss due to oil and gas development, urbanization, agriculture, and industrial solar projects, climate change, and invasive species. Habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation can restrict the species’ ability to feed, burrow, and reproduce.

As of July 1, 2022, the Temblor legless lizard is considered a candidate species under CESA and will therefore receive the same legal protection afforded to an endangered or threatened species. 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 web page.

We need your help in better understanding the status of the Temblor legless lizard. If you have ever seen 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 Temblor legless lizard.