Sydney Haney Photography

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Sydney Haney Photography

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Virginia's Endemic and At-Risk Species

Did you know that Virginia is home to over 1900 at-risk species Though only  67 are federally-listed and 132 state-listed, all rely on careful conservation and land management to forestall their extinction.

At-risk and endemic species of virginia

The Yonahlossee Salamander (Plethodon yonahlossee) is considered a Tier IVc species of greatest conservation need in Virginia

    What are federally threatened and endangered species?

    A federally-listed species is determined by US Fish and Wildlife Services to be "in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range" Once listed, species are legally protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and USFWS begins to plan and act towards recovery of the species

    Learn More About the ESA

    What makes a species "at-risk?"

    To be at-risk mean that a species is at risk of going extinct, though with less urgency than those designated threatened or endangered. States may list at-risk species as "Species of Greatest Conservation Need" or agencies like NatureServe and IUCN may provide a designation even if a species is not legally protected.

    Read About the IUCN Red List

    About The Project

    Virginia is my home; it is also home to 67 federally threatened and endangered species, over 140 endemic plants and animals, and 1920 species of greatest conservation need. Wildlife species are going extinct at an alarming rate, largely due to the development and fragmentation of habitat. It's critical that we act to protect and conserve remaining habitat, but how can you feel inspired to protect something you've never even seen? 


    This is why I have set out to photograph Virginia's endemic and threatened species and tell their story, hoping to bring attention and more conservation to each of them. I hope you'll follow along in support of Virginia's unique biodiversity.


    Thanks to Sally Entrekin, Virginia Tech's Global Change Center/MAOP Scholarship, Tim Lane and Brittany Bajo-Walker of Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, and Tom Malabad with Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation for photo and project opportunities. Thank you Jordan Metzgar for assistance with plant species information and identification!


    Special thanks also to Celia White for editing and project assistance, such as holding many odds and ends while I take pictures!

    About Me

    I am recent graduate from Virginia Tech with an undergraduate degree in Wildlife Conservation; I have a passion for storytelling through photography. All photography is conducted with care; species are sought out with guidance from conservation experts, and returned where they were found. 


    If you want to learn more about this project, purchase a print/species card, or make a donation, please contact me at sydneyhaneyphoto@gmail.com

    References

    Blue Ridge Spring Snail (Fontigens orolibas):

    NatureServe. (2024, December 6). Fontigens orolibas. https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.114814/Fontigens_orolibas

    Blue Ridge Mountain Amphipod (Stygobromus spinosus):

    NatureServe. (2024, December 6). Stygobromus spinosus.

    https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.119419/Stygobromus_spinosus.

    Candy Darter (Etheostoma osburni):

    Virginia DWR. (2024). Candy Darter. 

    https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/information/candy-darter/#:~:text=Habitat%20degradation%20has%20contributed%20to,the%20primary%20threat%20to%20extinction.

    Cumberlandian combshell (Epioblasma brevidens):

    NatureServe. (2023, December 5). Epioblasma brevidens. Retrieved from 

    https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.115217/Epioblasma_brevidens. Accessed on April 23, 2024.

    U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. (2023, October 6). Cumberlandian combshell (Epioblasma brevidens). 

    Retrieved from

    https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/species/3119.

    Dixie Caverns Salamander (Plethodon dixi):

    Felix, Z. I., J. A. Wooten, T. W. Pierson, and C. D. Camp. 2019. Re-evaluation of the Wehrle’s salamander (Plethodon wehrlei Fowler and Dunn) species group (Caudata: Plethodontidae) using genomic data, with the description of a new species. Zootaxa 4609(3):429-448 

    NatureServe. (2022, January 11). Plethodon dixi. Retrieved from 

    https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.1076787/Plethodon_dixi. Accessed on April 23, 2024.

    Dromedary Pearlymussel (Dromus dromas):

    NatureServe. (2020, September 29). Dromus dromas. Retrieved from 

    https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.110730/Dromus_dromas. Accessed on April 23, 2024.

    Ellett Valley Millipede (Pseudotremia cavernarum):

    Center for Biological Diversity. (2023, October 6). Petition to list the Ellett Valley Millipede (Pseudotremia cavernarum) 

    as a threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act and to concurrently designate critical habitat. Retrieved from https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/invertebrates/pdfs/09-19-2023-Ellett-Valley-millipede-petition.pdf

    NatureServe. (2002, August 21). Pseudotremia cavernarum. Retrieved from 

    https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.121104/Pseudotremia_cavernarum. Accessed on April 23, 2024.

    Fluted kidneyshell (Ptychobranchus subtentus):

    U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. (2017, October 2). Fluted kidneyshell (Ptychobranchus subtentus). Retrieved from 

    https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/species/1397.

    Spiny River Snail (Io fluvialis):

    NatureServe. (2020, December 11). Io fluvialis. Retrieved from 

    https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.110014/Io_fluvialis

    Kates Mountain Clover (Trifolium virginicum):

    NatureServe. (1999, June 28). Trifolium virginicum. Retrieved from 

    https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.157941/Trifolium_virginicum. Accessed on April 23, 2024.

    Virginia Native Plant Society. (2018, January 14). Kates Mountain Clover: Trifolium virginicum. Retrieved from 

    https://vnps.org/kates-mountain-clover-trifolium-virginicum/

    Moccasinshell (Medionidus conradicus):

    NatureServe. (2023, December 7). Medionidus conradicus. Retrieved from 

    https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.110094/Medionidus_conradicus. 

    Northern Pygmy Salamander (Desmognathus organi):

    NatureServe. (2010, September 8). Desmognathus organi. Retrieved from 

    https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.844116/Desmognathus_organi. 

    Virginia DWR. Northern Pygmy Salamander. Retrieved from 

    https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/information/northern-pygmy-salamander/

    Oyster mussel (Epioblasma capsaeformis):

    U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. (2018, January 24). Oyster mussel. Retrieved from 

    https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/species/2099

    Virginia Round-Leaf Birch (Betula uber): 

    NatureServe. (2024, December 6). Betula uber. Retrieved from

    https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.157815/Betula_uber

    Virginia Shale Woodland Violet (Viola tenuisecta):

    Ballard, H. E., Jr., Kartesz, J. T., & Nishino, M. (2023). A taxonomic treatment of the violets (Violaceae) of the northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. *The Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society, 150*(1), 3–266. https://doi.org/10.3159/TORREY-D-22-00029.1

    NatureServe. (2024, December 6). NatureServe. 

    https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.1073829/Viola_tenuisecta

    Weller’s Salamander (Plethodon welleri):

    IUCN. (2021, March 18). Plethodon welleri. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved from https://www.iucnredlist.org/ja/species/59363/118997100.

    NatureServe. (2007, April 20). Plethodon welleri. Retrieved from 

    https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.104883/Plethodon_welleri.Accessed on April 23, 2024.

    White-Haired Leatherflower (Clematis albicoma):

    Clematis albicoma. Natureserve. (2024, December 6). Clematis albicoma. Retrieved from

    https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.149016/Clematis_albicoma

    Virginia Botanical Associates. (2024). Clematis albicoma Wherry. Retrieved from 

    https://www.vaplantatlas.org/index.php?do=plant&plant=2631&search=Search

    Wounded Darter (Nothonotus vulneratus): 

    NatureServe. (2024, December 6). Retrieved from 

    https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.101968/Nothonotus_vulneratus

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