Featured Species

Yreka FWO biologists monitor the status and support the recovery of several species of rare fish, wildlife, and plants, from furry mammals like the fisher, to the old-growth forest dwelling Northern spotted owl, to the small and secretive Shasta salamander group, the elusive Franklin's bumble bee, and colorful plants like the Yreka phlox. We work with landowners and leading scientists to gather the best available science on each species and their habitat, and work with our many partners to implement on-the-ground conservation that supports their recovery.

ESA status means the level of protection afforded the species under the Endangered Species Act, if such protection has been warranted. Other species may be under review for proposed protection, or not warranted for protection. There are two levels of protection under the ESA: "threatened" which means a species is likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range, and "endangered" which means a species is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.

At-risk species our office works with include:

Amphibian           


Insect     


Mammal               


Plant       


Mollusk  


Aquatics                


Check out some of the species our office is responsible for monitoring and recovering below:

a close up photo of a fisher's face

ESA status: endangered (Southern Sierra Nevada, June 2020); not listed (Northern California/Southern Oregon, June 2020)

Fishers are medium-sized mammals in the same family as weasels, mink, martens and otters. They have a light brown to black fur coat, with white...

FWS Focus
A gray wolf lays in the the snow-covered grass

ESA status: endangered (February 2022) except Northern Rocky Mtn of ID, MT, WY; eastern 1/3 of OR, WA; north-central UT; threatened (Dec 2014) in MN. 

The gray wolf, being a keystone predator, is an integral component of the...

FWS Focus
Northern spotted owl

ESA status: threatened (June 1990)

The northern spotted owl is the largest of three subspecies of spotted owls, and inhabits structurally complex forests from southwestern British Columbia, through Washington and Oregon, and into northern California. The northern...

FWS Focus
A huge school of silver fishes swimming in a stream

ESA (NMFS) status: threatened (June 1997 - southern OR/northern CA population)

Coho salmon are a species of Pacific salmon which inhabit the Pacific coast in California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Alaska.  These fish are also known as silver salmon...

FWS Focus
a bumble bee on a pink flower

ESA status: endangered (August 2021)

Franklin bumble bee (Bombus franklini) is thought to have the most limited distribution of all known North American bumble bee species and one of the most limited geographic distributions of any bumble bee in the world. The...

FWS Focus
pink flowering plant

ESA status: endangered (Feb. 2000)

The Yreka phlox is a perennial, low-growing bright rose-pink to white-flowered plant that grows in soils derived from ultramafic parent materials (igneous rock containing high concentrations of iron and magnesium) in and near the City...

FWS Focus
Large whitebark pine tree

ESA status: threatened (January 2023)

Whitebark pine can grow to 12–18 m tall (40–60 ft) and, rarely, up to 1.5 m (5 ft) in diameter. They are shorter, or even shrub-like at higher, windier elevations. The bark is thin, scaly, and grayish. Their needles are 4–10 cm...

FWS Focus