Utah Identifies 256 species of greatest conservation need in new plan

An eared grebe is pictured. Utah’s updated Wildlife Action Plan, approved Jan. 6 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, outlines a 10-year conservation framework for the state’s most vulnerable native species and the habitats they depend on. Photo: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

SALT LAKE CITY — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved Utah’s updated Wildlife Action Plan on Jan. 6, opening federal funding pathways and guiding new conservation work for the state’s most vulnerable native fish and wildlife species, according to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

Now in its third iteration, the Utah Wildlife Action Plan took more than three years to revise with input from more than 35 conservation partners, the division said. Utah submitted the plan to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in August 2025.

The updated plan, effective from 2025 to 2035, is a statewide 10-year framework that identifies at-risk native species and the habitats they depend on, and it is intended to guide the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and its conservation partners as they address threats affecting wildlife across the state.

“By preventing federal listings under the Endangered Species Act, we can keep wildlife management at the state level, which ultimately saves resources and taxpayer dollars,” said Scott Gibson, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources’ wildlife action plan coordinator. “It also provides stability for businesses within the state and maintains the world-class opportunities afforded to our hunters, anglers, and wildlife enthusiasts. The plan identifies the need for funding (and matching funding) for native species projects and provides a framework for how to best use our resources for the species most in need.”

The plan identifies 256 species of greatest conservation need in Utah, including four amphibians, 23 birds, 14 mammals, four reptiles, 22 fish, 27 mollusks, 16 insects, and 146 plants, according to the division.

“It’s incredible to see the partnerships that the DWR fosters through the Utah Wildlife Action Plan come together every 10 years to work on its revision,” said Isobel Lingenfelter, conservation director for the Utah Wildlife Federation. “These partnerships form the backbone of wildlife conservation for Utah’s most at-risk species, which gives me hope our grandchildren will get to enjoy wildlife as we do today.”

Utah’s Hogle Zoo also pointed to ongoing collaboration with the state focused on native species, including amphibians.

“Utah’s Hogle Zoo has long partnered with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to both highlight and invest in native species conservation in the state,” said Dr. Lynne Baker, Utah Hogle Zoo’s director of conservation. “In particular, our collaboration has contributed to a greater understanding of the status of wild populations of the Western toad, as well as to the recovery of this unique species in Utah. The Western toad is one of four amphibians listed as species of greatest conservation need in the DWR’s comprehensive Wildlife Action Plan. We are proud to collaborate with the DWR in the recovery of this vulnerable species and other native wildlife.”

The division encouraged members of the public to get involved by volunteering on projects with the agency and its partners — including the Sageland Collaborative — and by contributing wildlife observation data through community science networks such as iNaturalist and eBird.

More information about the plan and species identified in the 2025-2035 update is available through the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.