DATE: March 5, 2003, BRIEFING FOR THE SECRETARY PREPARED BY: Paula Halupa, Biologist, Vero Beach, FL 772/562-3909, ext. 257 FROM: Jay Slack, Field Office Supervisor, South Florida Ecological Services Office SUBJECT: Emergency listing of the Miami blue butterfly (Cyclargus [Hemiargus} thomasi bethunebaker’) as endangered and the ceraunus blue (Hemiargus ceraunus antibubastus or Hemiargus hanno ceraunus), cassius blue (Leptotes cassius theonus), and nickerbean blue ( Cjclargus [Flemiargus] ammon) butterflies as threatened due to similarity of appearance. PURPOSE OF BRIEFING DOCUMENT: Provide information on recommendation to proceed with a draft emergency rule and draft proposed rule to list the Miami blue butterfly as endangered. ISSUES: + The geographic range of the Miami blue, which occurred throughout coastal South Florida, has been substantially reduced in recent years. This butterfly approximately occurred from Cape Canaveral on the east coast and Tampa Bay on the west coast south, through the Florida Keys. Prior to Hurricane Andrew in 1992, the last confirmed sighting of the Miami blue in Florida was on Big Pine Key in 1992. Following this hurricane, the bulterfly was thought to be extirpated until its re-discovery at Bahia Honda State Park in the Florida Keys in 1999, +The Service was petitioned to emergency list the Miami blue by the North American Butterfly Association and Mark Salvato in June 2000. In January 2002, the Service announced its 90-day finding, determining that listing of the Miami blue may be ‘warranted and soliciting information from the public. ‘The Service continued to work on a 12-month finding while funding for listing activities was available, © In August 2002, the Service funded researchers from the University of Florida (Dr. ‘Thomas Emmel and Dr. Jaret Daniels) to conduct a comprehensive status survey of the Miami blue and to monitor known populations. + In October 2002, while assessing the conservation status of the species, taxonomic questions were raised by individuals associated with the Miami Blue Butterfly Restoration Project. Although the best scientific information indicates that this species is the Miami blue, we plan to send adult specimens to three independent taxonomists for verification. + Currently, the Miami blue is known from only one population at Bahia Honda State Park. Based upon mark-recapture work of Drs. Emmel and Daniels, the population is estimated G AND R_DOLNORTON-20x02-00005-000001 Page 1 of 2at 30 to 60 individuals, and the species has extremely limited dispersal capabilities. + The Executive Director for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission signed an Executive Order to emergency list the species on December 10, 2002, and ‘Commissioners approved this emergency listing on January 23, 2003. This temporarily protects the butterfly as State endangered for 240 days, but does not provide any substantive habitat protection. * Efforts to initiate a captive breeding program for the butterfly failed due to low numbers of adult females in December 2002 and January 2003. However, in February 2003, researchers collected eight eggs from two females. Although three eges were infertile, five hatched into larvae. Attempts to collect additional eggs are planned for mid- to late “March 2003 so that a captive colony of this butterfly can be established. ‘+ Throughout its historic range, the Miami blue is threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, unauthorized collection, accidental harm from humans, restricted genetic exchange, mosquito control, fire suppression, invasive exotics, detrimental land ‘management practices, and severe or catastrophic weather events, The Service believes the threats are more severe and imminent than previously thought due to the low number of documented adults and their presence at only one location, a heavily visited park. BUREAU PERSPECTIVE: The Service will continue to work closely with the State and scientific researchers, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Monroe County Mosquito Control District, and groups such as the North American Butterfly Association, the Miami Blue Butterfly Restoration Project, and the American Zoo and Aquarium Association's Butterfly Conservation Initiative on conservation activities in an effort to prevent the extinction of this species. CONTACT: Jay Slack, Field Office Supervisor, Vero Beach, FL 772/562-3909, ext. 300; Linda Ferrell, Assistant Field Office Supervisor, ext. 255; Cindy Schulz, Trust Resources Supervisor, ‘GANDR DOLNORTON-80XO2-00005-000001 Page 2 of 2