Oregon Fish and Wildlife has unveiled the first update in 10 years to its .
That plan guides the monitoring and protection of non-game animals — the kind that aren’t hunted or fished. It also determines how the state uses millions of dollars in federal conservation grants.
The update identifies which habitats and species have the greatest need for conservation.
That includes the American pika, a small mammal that strategy coordinator Andrea Hanson says is sensitive to climate change.
“They have some population declines and we want to make sure to put them on the watch and start doing some conservation actions now so that as climate temperatures rise, we won’t lose them," Hanson said.
The plan identifies nearly 300 species thought to be in decline.
Oregon Fish and Wildlife has struggled to find funding for non-game species conservation over the years. The agency spends roughly 2 percent of its budget on conservation.
A state task force is exploring new funding sources for the agency, with a report due to the Legislature this fall.
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National Park Service
/American pika making its distinctive call.
