Glacier National Park's stonefly considered for ESA listing

Glacier National Park is home to several threatened or endangered species, including bull trout, lynx and grizzly bears. The next species on the list could be a bug.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced last week it has completed its evaluation of a petition to list the western glacier stonefly as endangered. FWS also determined that substantial biological information exists to warrant a more in-depth examination of the specie's status.

The announcement doesn't mean the stonefly, which is believed to live only in the Park's high-elevation waters, will be listed under the Endangered Species Act, but it does mean the insect's status warrants more study.

Stoneflies are aquatic predatory insects. Its eggs and larvae live underwater, and adults spend a brief period of their lives out of the water, where they mate and lay their eggs.

Stoneflies require cold, clean water to survive. The western glacier stonefly lives only in streams below glaciers in the Park. That habitat niche could disappear, as the Park's glaciers are expected to completely melt away by 2030, scientists have predicted.

After conducting a 90-day review of the stonefly's status, FWS could place it on the ESA list, decide protection for the species is not warranted or decide protection is warranted but precluded by other high priority cases.

Comments can be sent to Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R6-ES-2011-0102, Division of Policy and Directives Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive MS 2042-PDM, Arlington VA 22203.

Comments can be sent online at www.regulations.gov by entering the docket number FWS-R6-ES-2011-0102 where it says "Enter Keyword or ID," clicking the box "Open for Comment/Submission," and clicking "Search."

Comments must be received by Feb. 17, 2012.