CNDDB News Blog

Some of our keen-eyed users may have noticed a drastic uptick in the number of records in the BIOS layer named Unprocessed data from the Online Field Survey Form [ds1002]. This is because CNDDB was able to hire new temporary staff who have been busy reviewing older records which were locked away in our files and inputting the relevant information into the Online Field Survey Form.

All CNDDB subscribers have access to ds1002. Since these records represent unprocessed data, they have not been incorporated into Element Occurrences yet, and will not appear in RareFind. That said, if you zoom to a project site in BIOS you can see Online Field Survey Form records alongside CNDDB element occurrences.

Our new staff added 10,000 records from our older records to ds1002 in 2023. These maps show where those points are located. We plan to add thousands more such records in 2024.

BIOS layer ds1002 contains an additional 29,000 records which were submitted directly by our users over the past 9 years. Using the Online Field Survey Form remains the fastest way to share your data with other CNDDB users, as such submissions become visible in BIOS the following month. It takes time and effort to do surveys for imperiled species. Use our platform to share the results of your hard work!

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.

Mohave ground squirrel (Xerospermophilus mohavensis).
Photo credit: Mark Allaback, Biosearch Environmental Consulting

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has initiated a five-year species review for the state threatened Mohave ground squirrel (Xerospermophilus mohavensis) to inform the California Fish and Game 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 Mohave ground squirrel to submit their findings to us. People who have questions or comments about the review process should email the Wildlife Diversity Program and include “Mohave ground squirrel” in the subject line. The deadline to submit data and comments is October 28, 2023, to allow sufficient time for evaluation.

The Mohave ground squirrel is a small rodent endemic to the western Mojave Desert of California and has one of the smallest geographic ranges of any North American ground squirrel. It was listed under the original enactment of CESA in 1971. 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 retaining or changing 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 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.