Several Florida Imperiled Species No Longer Warrant Listing, Including Suwannee Alligator Snapping Turtle

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission completed the final step in reevaluating five Species of Special Concern, one of six key objectives outlined in Florida’s Imperiled Species Management Plan.  s a result, several fish and wildlife species no longer warrant listing.Based on a thorough scientific review, the FWC determined the harlequin darter, Homosassa shrew, southern fox squirrel and the Monroe County osprey population no longer warrant listing as Species of Special Concern.Through the process, FWC biologists and partners agreed that Florida has three distinct species of alligator snapping turtles. Two of these species do not warrant listing. However, the Suwannee alligator snapping turtle will now be listed as State Threatened.