Endangered Species

USFWS List of Endangered Species by County

STATE LAW

The Illinois Endangered Species Protection Act establishes a state board to determine the endangered and threatened species to be listed for Illinois.  That board and its staff in Springfield advises the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) on the means of conserving those species.  The board's staff works closely with the Illinois Nature preserves Commission and the IDNR's Division of Natural Heritage in its mission.

State Prohibited Activities

The Endangered Species Protection Act ( 520 ILCS 10/3 ) makes it unlawful for any person -

• to possess, take, transport, sell, offer for sale, give or otherwise dispose of any animal or the product thereof of any animal species which occurs on the Illinois List;
• to deliver, receive, carry, transport or ship in interstate or foreign commerce plants listed as endangered by the federal government without a permit therefor issued by the Department as provided in Section 4 of this Act;
• to take plants on the Illinois List without the express written permission of the landowner; or
• to sell or offer for sale plants or plant products of endangered species on the Illinois List.

You can download the list of endangered and threatened species in Illinois from the board's website whose link is below.

More information can be obtained by contacting the

Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board ( their website )
One Natural Resources Way
Springfield, IL   62702-1271
Phone: 217-785-8687
Fax: 217-785--2438
dnr.espb@illinois.gov

FEDERAL LAW

Section 10 of the Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) is designed to regulate a wide range of activities affecting plants and animals designated as endangered or threatened, and the habitats upon which they depend. With some exceptions, the ESA prohibits activities affecting these protected species and their habitats unless authorized by a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) or the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). Permitted activities are designed to be consistent with the conservation of the species.

Federally Prohibited Activities

The Endangered Species Act makes it unlawful to do any of the following with regard to live or dead animals or plants, their progeny (seeds in the case of plants), and parts or products derived from them, if those species are listed as endangered -

• import or export;
• deliver, receive, carry, transport, or ship in interstate or foreign commerce in the course of a commercial activity;
• sell or offer for sale in interstate or foreign commerce;
• take (includes harm, harass, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect any wildlife within the United States);
• take on the high seas;
• possess, ship, deliver, carry, transport, sell, or receive unlawfully taken wildlife;
• remove and reduce to possession any plant from areas under Federal jurisdiction;
• maliciously damage or destroy an endangered plant on areas under Federal jurisdiction; and
• remove, cut, dig up, or damage or destroy any endangered plant in knowing violation of any State law or regulation or in the course of a violation of a State criminal trespass law.*

Federal Permits

Some activities that might otherwise be prohibited are exempt.  Other activities are allowed in accordance with permit provisions.

For description of permits and exemptions,
contact the midwest regional office of the
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service ( their website )
Endangered Species Permit Office
B. H. Whipple Federal Building
One Federal Drive
Fort Snelling, MN  55111-4056

Yellow-headed blackbird (State Endangered Species) Photo: James C. Leupold, US/FWS