3 Oct 2014

23 species in CNMI and Guam at risk

4:04 pm on 3 October 2014

More than 20 species of plant and animal in the Northern Marianas and Guam could shortly be added to the endangered list.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to list 23 species as either endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

Public Information Officer Ken Foote says endemic species on the CNMI and Guam face a lot of threats, some of which are unique to the area.

"One of the primary threats is habit loss and degradation due to urbanisation and development. Big one is competition with non-native plants and animals, predation by non-native animals, climate change of course and the inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms to prevent the introduction and spread of non-native plants and animals. There's also another threat of live ordnance from military training."

There will be a community consulation period over the next 6 weeks to seek new information that will assist in making a final determination within a year.