The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is working to determine if several animal species east of the Cascades need government protection.
The species in question live in higher elevations and include burrowing owls, the wolverine, and the Mt. Rainier white tailed ptarmigan. The agency is looking for information about their habitat conditions, threats to their populations, and conservation measures that have benefited the species.
The agency routinely updates its status reports on species. For those in serious decline, it uses that data to decide if they should receive protection.
The state has three designations for animals: endangered, threatened or sensitive, depending on the level of concern.
While Fish and Wildlife officials compile much of the data that goes into the status reports, wildlife diversity manager Hannah Anderson says getting information from the public can be helpful.
“Private land owners or community members are going to have information that we don't have access to. Sharing that with us can help us understand distribution or threats or management actions or all those things are things we are really interested in hearing about," she said.
People can send current information about those species can to the agency, via its website.
The species status reports will be reviewed over the next year and any recommendations regarding protected listing will be made by the Fish and Wildlife Commission.