By Amy Sturgill, Bi-State Sage-Grouse Data and Communications Coordinator

Bi-State Sage-grouse are a geographically isolated and genetically distinct population of Greater Sage-grouse, found along the California-Nevada border in the southwestern extent of the species’ range. Known as a Distinct Population Segment, these birds are evaluated independently from other sage-grouse populations under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) Endangered Species Act (ESA). Because the Bi-State population is small and disconnected from other sage-grouse populations, they may be more susceptible to population declines—or even extinction. As a result, a concerted, collaborative effort to understand this population’s trend, and to conserve Bi-State numbers, has been underway for nearly twenty years.

In 2014, research staff working with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) developed an Integrated Population Model (IPM) framework to increase our understanding of Bi-State Sage-grouse populations. They sought to identify the number of individuals in the population, the factors affecting population changes, and to predict the trajectory of the species over time. This understanding has important implications for on-the-ground conservation and management actions.

Read more over at Partnering to Conserve Sagebrush Rangelands.