How are rare species protected?
Rare species protection was implemented with the Kansas Nongame and Endangered Species Act of 1975. This act provided the state authority to define and list endangered and threatened species. Endangered species are any species of wildlife whose continued existence as a viable component of the state’s wild fauna is determined to be in jeopardy. Threatened species are any species of wildlife that appear likely, within the foreseeable future, to become an endangered species. These designations protect the animal from commercial or personal possession. The law also gives authority to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks to review projects requiring a state or federal permit or those funded by tax revenues. This process is designed to safeguard listed wildlife. Some species, including rare plants, are also U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed and protected by federal law, the Endangered Species Act of 1973. With the exception of plants, for which the state grants no protective statu
