Conservation planning for Illinois’ pitvipers through expert solicitation
Dreslik, Michael
Kuhns, Andrew R.
Illinois Natural History Survey
1816 South Oak Street
Champaign, Illinois USA
Crawford, John A
National Great Rivers Research and Education Center
One Confluence Way
East Alton, Illinois USA
With global biodiversity declining at an alarming rate, numerous species are listed as conservation-dependent. In addition to habitat loss, fragmentation, disease, and global climate change, Pitvipers often face additional threats from continued human persecution and a general malaise of directing public resources toward their conservation. Within the United States, two native species are protected under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. In 2000, Congress created the State Wildlife Initiative Grant program, requiring each state to maintain a Wildlife Action Plan, which identifies sensitive species needing conservation action. Unfortunately, conservation action has been haphazard and limited due to the number of species listed across taxa, available funds, and logistical feasibility. Therefore a need for hierarchical priorities providing a unified course of conservation action is necessary. We ascertained the current knowledge base, perceived threats, data gaps, actionable items, and conservation synergies for the Eastern Massasauga and Timber Rattlesnake in Illinois through expert solicitation (in a structured decision-making framework). Our results will help guide conservation actions toward species recovery or stabilization of current declines.