Threatened and Endangered Species

Presidio clarkia
Presidio clarkia, an endangered flowering plant.

NPS / Will Elder

 
An “endangered species” classification helps federal agencies and other organizations protect species that may be at risk of extinction from a given area. A species is usually classified as endangered after its' habitat becomes reduced or fragmented or its population number gets critically low. A "threatened species" is one that is likely to become endangered in the near future.

It is hard to estimate the number of endangered species worldwide, but scientists agree that a mass extinction event is happening worldwide. Some extinction is normal, but we are now losing species at about 100-10,000x the normal, “background” rate. Most of these species are at risk due to human activities, including those driving habitat loss, introduction of exotic and invasive species, and global climate change.
 

Threatened and Endangered Species at Golden Gate

The Golden Gate National Recreation Area is home to many species that are threatened or endangered. The Natural Resources division works with the San Francisco Bay Area Inventory and Monitoring Network to protect these species and the critical habitat they need to survive into the future.

Below is a table that lists the known threatened and endangered species at Golden Gate. Note: This list may not represent current conditions, as species are listed and delisted on a regular basis. For more up-to-date information and advanced search capability, please visit NPSpecies. Have a suggestion or comment on this list? Let us know.
 
Table 1. Threatened and Endangered species occurring or presumed to occur at Golden Gate National Recreation Area..
Scientific Name Common Name Status Category
Enhydra lutris nereis Southern sea otter Threatened Mammal
Arctocephalus townsendi Guadalupe fur seal Threatened Mammal
Balaenoptera borealis Sei whale Endangered Mammal
Balaenoptera musculus Blue whale Endangered Mammal
Balaenoptera physalus Fin whale Endangered Mammal
Reithrodontomys raviventris Salt-marsh harvest mouse Endangered Mammal
Brachyramphus marmoratus Marbled Murrelet Threatened Bird
Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus Western snowy plover Threatened Bird
Sterna antillarum browni California Least Tern Endangered Bird
Coccyzus americanus Yellow-billed Cuckoo Threatened Bird
Vireo bellii pusillus Least Bell's Vireo Endangered Bird
Strix occidentalis caurina Northern Spotted Owl Threatened Bird
Rana draytonii California red-legged frog Threatened Amphibian
Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia San Francisco Garter Snake Endangered Reptile
Acipenser medirostris Green sturgeon Threatened Fish
Hypomesus transpacificus Delta smelt Threatened Fish
Eucyclogobius newberryi Tidewater goby Endangered Fish
Oncorhynchus kisutch Coho salmon Endangered Fish
Oncorhynchus mykiss Rainbow trout Threatened Fish
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha Blackmouth Threatened, Endangered Fish
Cirsium fontinale var. fontinale Fountain thistle Endangered Vascular Plant
Eriophyllum latilobum San Mateo woolly sunflower Endangered Vascular Plant
Pentachaeta bellidiflora Whiteray pygmydaisy Endangered Vascular Plant
Arenaria paludicola Marsh sandwort Endangered Vascular Plant
Trifolium amoenum Showy Indian clover Endangered Vascular Plant
Acanthomintha duttonii San Mateo thorn-mint Endangered Vascular Plant
Castilleja affinis ssp. neglecta Tiburon Indian paintbrush Endangered Vascular Plant
Hesperolinon congestum Marin dwarf-flax Threatened Vascular Plant
Clarkia franciscana Presidio clarkia Endangered Vascular Plant
Potentilla hickmanii Hickman's potentilla Endangered Vascular Plant
Syncaris pacifica California freshwater shrimp Endangered Crab/Lobster/Shrimp
Haliotis cracherodii Black abalone Endangered Slug/Snail
Callophrys mossii bayensis San Bruno elfin butterfly Endangered Insect
Icaricia icarioides missionensis Mission blue butterfly Endangered Insect
Euphydryas editha bayensis Bay checkerspot butterfly Threatened Insect
 
Photo of a northern spotted owl.
Endangered Birds

Read more about the endangered bird species that call Golden Gate home.

Close up of tidewater gobes.
Endangered Fish

Learn more about the endangered fish species that call the waters of Golden Gate home.

Endangered Butterflies
Endangered Butterflies

At least 44 species of butterflies, some of which are endangered or threatened, occur in the Golden Gate Biosphere.

Last updated: September 26, 2018

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Golden Gate National Recreation Area
201 Fort Mason

San Francisco, CA 94123

Phone:

415-561-4700
United States Park Police Dispatch: Non-Emergency: 415-561-5505 Emergency: 415-561-5656

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