TPWD
Species of Greatest Conservation Need
What is a SGCN?
Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) are the focus of Texas' State Wildlife Action Plan. State Wildlife Action Plans are congressionally-mandated "road maps" to help guide at-risk biodiversity conservation efforts.
Texas has over 1,100 wildlife, fish, and plant species designated as SGCNs, including species that are also state or federally protected due to risk of extinction, such as the Whooping Crane and Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle.
Native animals or plants designated as a SGCN are generally those that are declining, or rare and in need of attention to recover, or to prevent the need to list under state or federal regulation.
Sometimes SGCN's might be "data deficient" meaning that biologists may be concerned about the population, but more research is needed.
To view the most recent SGCN list please visit the Texas Parks and Wildlife website HERE.
Texas's At-Risk Biodiversity
Texas is one of the richest state's in terms of biodiversity, but is also one of the state's with the highest percentages of plants, animals, and ecosystems at risk. We have over 1,100 Species of Greatest Conservation Need. SGCN's are broken into Taxonomic groups such as Amphibians (Frogs, Toads & Salamanders), Reptiles (Turtles, Lizards, and Snakes), Birds, Fish (Freshwater and Marine), Sharks, Invertebrates, Mammals (Terrestrial and Marine), and Plants. SGCN's are also ranked according to their global and state conservation status.
Here's just a few examples of at-risk wildlife groups & SGCN's below. To see a complete list, click here.
Today, there are 3 billion fewer birds in our skies than in 1970. Grassland birds have been hit especially hard and are considered to be the most imperiled group of birds. For example, in the last 50 years we have lost 3 out of 4 Eastern Meadowlarks.
Other SGCN grassland bird examples in Texas include the endangered Attwater's Prairie Chicken, Le Conte's Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, and Northern Bobwhite.
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Amphibians are the most endangered Class of vertebrates on earth. Nationwide, nearly 1/2 of amphibians are threatened or declining.
In Texas, some SGCN amphibians include species already listed as endangered such as the Houston Toad, Barton Springs Salamander, and Texas Blind Salamander. Other amphibians not listed as endangered but need action include the Southern Crawfish Frog and Mexican Burrowing Toad.
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Over a third of the world’s fish populations are in decline. And nationwide, more than 40% of our freshwater fish are at-risk.
SGCN freshwater fish species in Texas include our state fish, the Guadalupe Bass, Paddlefish, Shovelnose Sturgeon, and the endangered Lion Springs Pupfish.
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Over 6o% of the world's turtle species are threatened or already extinct. One-third of our turtle species across the country are in decline.
In Texas, we have several SGCN turtle species including the Texas Tortoise, Western Chicken Turtle, Texas Diamondback Terrapin, Alligator Snapping Turtle, and Chihuahuan Mud Turtle.
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Texas is the "battiest state" in the U.S., home to 32 of the nation’s 47 bat species. We also boast the world’s largest known bat colony, Bracken Cave Preserve near San Antonio, and the planet’s largest urban bat colony, Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin.
Sadly, nearly half of the known bat species in North America are at risk of severe population decline in the next 15 years. Bats in Texas include the Tri-colored Bat, Mexican Long-nosed Bat, Cave Myotis, and Hoary Bat.
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More than 1/3 of our nation's native plant species are at risk of extinction. Almost half of U.S. cacti are vulnerable to extinction.
There are nearly 5,000 species of plants indigenous to Texas. Of these, almost 400 are "endemic"—found nowhere else in the world.
A few SGCN plants in Texas include Texas Wild Rice, Texas Trailing Phlox, Star Cactus, Pecos Sunflower, and the Chisos Mountains Hedgehog Cactus.
