USFWS announces recovery plan for endangered Arizona cactus

PHOENIX — The acuna cactus is a small and spherical succulent that grows pink colored flowers with green fruits in the Sonoran Desert.

The cactus native to Arizona, though, is listed as endangered and has been since 2013. The species has eight surviving populations, four of which contain 50 or fewer individuals.

Drought, climate change, urban development, mining, livestock, border activity, non-native plants and illegal collection are among the acuna cactus’ greatest threats, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

USFWS announced last week it finalized a recovery plan for the species after a 60-day public comment period.

The goal is to establish long-term persistence of acuna cactus in the wild and take it off the threatened and endangered species lists, according to the plan.

The plan has six main objectives which include increasing the size and number of populations, setting up plant and seed collections at botanical institutions and seed banks, protecting and restoring Sonoran Desert habitat and improving understanding of the acuna cactus’ geography, ecology and threats.

For downlisting to occur, there needs to be a minimum of 10 acuna cactus populations with growing numbers.

Other requirements include establishing a living collection of plants representing the geographical, morphological and genetic diversity is within 10 years in multiple botanical institutions and protecting a 1,000-meter radius surrounding at least five populations in the wild.

The Service will have to survey land for potential sites and work with land owners and managers to secure permits. From there, it will monitor and research the state of the populations.

USFWS has worked with the Tohono O’odham Nation, the National Park Service, Arizona Game and Fish Department and the Desert Botanical Garden to monitor populations since the 2013 listing, according to a press release.