Chapter 3 - Natural Resources - Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

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MCB Camp Pendleton, California Brand’s phacelia is the only Federal ESA candidate plant species found on Base. Base management programs do not focus specifically on candidate species, but programmatically manage the major ecosystems on the Base (riparian, beach, estuarine and upland), for the benefit of all species and military training activities that use those systems. Candidate species are included in monitoring and surveys that are conducted for rare and sensitive plants and are managed with the intention of helping to avoid the need for listing. Brand’s phacelia (Phacelia stellaris) was listed as a Candidate on the ESA in 2004 and currently has a listing priority number of 5. Brand’s phacelia is included as a List 1B.1 plant (Rare, threatened, or endangered in California and elsewhere. Seriously endangered in California.) in the CNPS Inventory, but is not listed by California as Endangered or Threatened (CNPS 2008). The species is currently found at only 3 of the 15 historic sites within the U.S. known to support the species (NatureServe 2009). Three other historic locations occur in Mexico, but have not been confirmed since 1973 in Punta Banda, 1975 in Santa Maria, and 1988 in San Quintin (NatureServe 2009). Within the U.S. the species population is considered rapidly declining to declining 10-50%, and globally it is considered having a very large to large decline 75-90% (NatureServe 2009). See Appendix F, Section F.5 for detail on this species and its management. 3.2.3. Fish and Wildlife Species Fish and wildlife species on Camp Pendleton are important to the functioning of ecosystems and provide many benefits to humans. Some animals disperse seeds, while others consume insects and rodents considered harmful to humans. Others provide recreational opportunities, such as hunting, fishing, and bird watching. The large natural areas of Camp Pendleton support a variety of fish and wildlife species. In addition to hundreds of invertebrates, the Base has documented the presence of more than 50 mammalian, 30 reptilian, 10 amphibian, 300 avian, and 60 fish species. Also, State listed Species of Special Concern have been identified by various agencies and organizations on Base (see Appendix K for list of fish and wildlife species that have been identified on Camp Pendleton). Many wildlife species are resident on the Base and can be found throughout the year. While other wildlife species visit the Base seasonally, such as migratory birds like the least Bell’s vireo, or periodically, like mountain lions that come-and-go as they travel throughout their large home ranges. Camp Pendleton is involved with Regional Conservation planning efforts (mostly by providing habitat and some protection for some non-listed Species of Special Concern). Benefits to non-listed wildlife species on Base include wildlife corridors that provide linkages between San Diego, Riverside and Orange Counties open space. This is an important regional conservation consideration for those species that use the Base for traveling between areas within their home ranges (Kershner pers. comm. 2007). Most of the fish and wildlife species on Base are considered native to the region but many are also exotic. As with the plants, some exotic wildlife species are invasive and may be causing the decline or local extirpation of native species (e.g., as a result of competitive 3-26 Chapter 3 – Natural Resources
Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan [March 2012 - Update] exclusion, habitat alteration, predation, nest parasitism, etc.). Examples of nonnative wildlife species on Base include the beaver (Castor canadensis), brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater), bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana), red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii), Argentine ants (Iridiomyrmex humilis), and several exotic fish species e.g., mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis), carp (Cyprinus carpio), black bullhead (Ameiurus melas), and green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus). Among the many native fish and wildlife species for which Camp Pendleton provides habitat are 2 mammalian, 1 amphibian, 7 avian, 2 fish, and 2 invertebrate federally listed threatened or endangered wildlife species, and 2 avian candidate species for listing under the ESA (see Appendix F for a description of each species). A number of other federally listed threatened or endangered wildlife species are known to occur in the region, such as the Quino checkerspot butterfly (Euphydras editha quino), but have never been identified on Camp Pendleton. Other federally listed threatened or endangered wildlife species, such as the red-legged frog (Rana draytonii), have been historically recorded on Base but not recently, despite survey efforts. Most (96%) of the avian species on Base are included on the list of migratory birds (Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 50, Section 10.13) and protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) and Executive Order 13186. 3.2.3.1. California State Listed Wildlife Species Known to Occur, Breed, or Migrate Through Camp Pendleton Twelve California listed threatened and endangered animal species (see Table 3-6) and over 75 California listed animal Species of Special Concern are known to occur and breed on or migrate through the Base. Species of Special Concern include: Hammond’s twostriped garter snake, southwestern pond turtle, San Diego horned lizard, and orangethroated whiptail. For a complete listing of Species of Special Concern see notes in the Species Status column of Appendix K. Common Name Birds TABLE 3-6. STATE LISTED THREATENED AND ENDANGERED WILDLIFE SPECIES AT CAMP PENDLETON Scientific Name State Status; Date Listed American Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus anatum Delisted; 2009 Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus Endangered; 1971 Bank Swallow Riparia riparia Threatened; 1989 Belding Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis beldingi Endangered; 1974 California Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis californicus Delisted; 2009 California Least Tern Sterna antillarum browni Endangered; 1971 Least Bell’s Vireo Vireo bellii pusillus Endangered; 1980 Light-Footed Clapper Rail Rallus longirostris levipes Endangered; 1971 Southwestern Willow Flycatcher Empidonax trailli extimus Endangered; 1990 Swainson’s Hawk Buteo swainsoni Threatened; 1983 Western Yellow-Billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus occidentalis Endangered; 1988 Xantus’s Murrelet Synthliboramphus hypoleucus Threatened; 2004 Chapter 3 – Natural Resources 3-27
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Chapter 3 - Natural Resources - Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

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