Groups sue for endangered species protection for Olympic marmots – Missoula Current

Report on the Conservation Status of the Olympic Marmot and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: Legal Action to Protect an Endemic Species

A lawsuit has been filed against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for its failure to make a timely determination on the protection of the Olympic marmot (Marmota olympus). This action, initiated by the Center for Biological Diversity, highlights critical challenges to biodiversity and ecosystem stability, directly engaging with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 15 (Life on Land) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

Threat Analysis in the Context of Global Sustainability Goals

SDG 15: Life on Land – Biodiversity Under Threat

The Olympic marmot, an endemic species to Washington’s Olympic Peninsula with a population estimated between 2,000 and 4,000 individuals, faces a significant risk of decline. The effort to secure its protection under the Endangered Species Act is a direct action toward achieving SDG 15, which calls for urgent measures to halt biodiversity loss and protect threatened species.

• Endemic Status: The species exists almost entirely within the Olympic National Park, making its survival critical to regional biodiversity.
• Ecological Role: As an “iconic guardian” of the alpine meadows, the marmot is emblematic of the health of its high-altitude ecosystem.
• Specific Threats to Biodiversity:
  1. Increased predation from coyotes, a consequence of the local eradication of wolves, a natural predator that would otherwise control coyote populations. This ecosystem imbalance undermines the stability required by SDG 15.
  2. Low reproductive rates and an inability to migrate, which limit the species’ capacity to adapt to environmental pressures.
  3. Isolation of colonies, increasing genetic vulnerability.

SDG 13: Climate Action – Habitat Degradation

Climate change is identified as a primary driver of the threats facing the Olympic marmot, underscoring the interconnectedness of climate action and biodiversity conservation as outlined in SDG 13. The failure to mitigate climate change directly jeopardizes the marmot’s habitat and survival.

• Habitat Loss: Rising temperatures are causing the tree line to advance into the high-alpine meadows, shrinking the marmot’s natural habitat. Projections indicate these meadows could disappear within a century.
• Food Source Depletion: The loss of meadows directly impacts the availability of grasses and flowers, the marmot’s primary food source.
• Increased Vulnerability: The encroaching tree line reduces the open sightlines marmots rely on to detect predators like coyotes.
• Compounding Factors: Reduced snowpack and an increased risk of forest fires further degrade the fragile alpine environment.

Legal and Institutional Framework for Species Protection

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

The legal challenge against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service invokes the principles of SDG 16, which promotes effective, accountable, and transparent institutions. The lawsuit alleges a violation of the Endangered Species Act, seeking to hold a government body accountable to its legal mandates for environmental protection.

1. Petition Submitted: The Center for Biological Diversity petitioned for the Olympic marmot’s protection in May 2024.
2. Deadline Missed: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service failed to meet the statutory 90-day deadline to issue an initial finding on the petition.
3. Lawsuit Filed: A lawsuit was filed to compel the agency to fulfill its legal obligation.

Pathways to Recovery and Contribution to SDG Targets

Proposed Conservation Measures

Listing the Olympic marmot as a threatened or endangered species would trigger a series of actions aligned with achieving global sustainability targets. As approximately 90% of the marmot’s habitat is located within the protected Olympic National Park, implementation of a recovery plan is considered highly feasible with minimal conflict with economic activities such as logging.

• Scientific Review: A warranted petition would initiate a comprehensive scientific review of the species’ status.
• Recovery Plan: A formal recovery plan would be developed to create safeguards and outline specific measures to ensure the species’ long-term survival.
• Ecosystem Restoration: Conservation efforts could include habitat restoration and potentially the reintroduction of keystone species like wolves to restore ecological balance, directly supporting the targets of SDG 15.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 15: Life on Land

  This goal is central to the article, which focuses on the declining population of the Olympic marmot, a terrestrial animal. The discussion revolves around protecting this threatened species, the degradation of its natural habitat (alpine meadows), and the overall loss of biodiversity within its ecosystem due to threats like climate change and predator imbalance.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  The article explicitly identifies climate change as a primary threat to the Olympic marmots. It details the impacts, such as the loss of habitat due to reduced snowpack and the upward creep of the tree line, directly linking climate-related hazards to the species’ survival. The need for action to mitigate these impacts is a core theme.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  This goal is relevant because the article describes a legal challenge against a government institution, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Center for Biological Diversity’s lawsuit highlights the use of legal frameworks (the Endangered Species Act) to ensure government accountability and enforce environmental protection laws, which relates to promoting the rule of law and strengthening institutions.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 15: Life on Land

   • Target 15.5: “Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.” The entire article is an appeal for urgent action to protect the Olympic marmot, a species with a population between 2,000-4,000, from extinction. The lawsuit aims to secure “Endangered Species Act protections that they really deserve and need to survive in the future.”
   • Target 15.1: “By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands…” The article focuses on the conservation of the “alpine meadow ecosystems,” which are the marmots’ only home. It notes these mountain habitats are shrinking and could “disappear altogether,” emphasizing the need for their protection and restoration.

2. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Target 13.2: “Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning.” The lawsuit to list the marmot as an endangered species is a direct attempt to integrate climate change considerations into national conservation policy. The article states that listing the species would allow the government to “create safeguards and a recovery plan to ensure their survival,” which would have to address the climate-driven threats mentioned.

3. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

   • Target 16.3: “Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.” The article is centered on a lawsuit filed because the “U.S. Fish and Wildlife failed to make a determination to protect Olympic marmots” and violated the Endangered Species Act by “failing to meet a 90-day decision deadline.” This is a clear example of a civil society organization using the legal system to uphold the rule of law and hold a government agency accountable.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicators for SDG 15 (Life on Land)

   • Population size of the species: The article explicitly states the Olympic marmot population is “only between 2,000-4,000.” Tracking this number over time would be a direct indicator of progress towards preventing extinction (Target 15.5).
   • Official conservation status: The central goal of the lawsuit is to have the marmots “listed as endangered or threatened.” The species’ official status on the endangered species list serves as a key indicator of the level of protection afforded to it (Target 15.5).
   • Extent of alpine meadow habitat: The article notes that “alpine meadows could disappear altogether throughout Washington state.” Measuring the area of this specific habitat and monitoring the “upward creep of the tree line” are implied indicators of habitat degradation or conservation (Target 15.1).
   • Predator-prey balance: The article mentions that the eradication of wolves led to an increase in coyotes, the “main reason why marmots have declined.” The potential re-establishment of wolves and the resulting balance of the coyote population is an implied indicator of ecosystem health and restoration (Target 15.1).

2. Indicators for SDG 13 (Climate Action)

   • Development and implementation of a recovery plan: The article states that an endangered listing would lead to the creation of a “recovery plan to ensure their survival.” The existence and effectiveness of this plan would be an indicator of integrated climate adaptation measures being put into policy (Target 13.2).

3. Indicators for SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)

   • Government response to legal petitions: The article is based on the government’s failure to meet a “90-day decision deadline.” The timeliness and outcome of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s determination following the lawsuit is a direct indicator of institutional accountability and adherence to the rule of law (Target 16.3).

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: missoulacurrent.com