Hunting in Kansas: 6 Animals Designated Nongame, Endangered, Threatened, and Protected Species

Statutes and regulations protect state and federally listed species and designated by the Kansas Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Act of 1975. Those who enjoy hunting in Kansas are kept informed of new additions to these conservation lists and prohibited from hunting the species involved.

Special permits are required for activities that involve threatened or endangered species. While there are literally thousands of species designated nongame or nonfurbearing, the endangered, threatened and protected species list grows each year.

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Here are six examples of threatened and endangered species in Kansas:

1. Eastern Spotted Skunk
Designated threatened since 1987, conservation efforts are underway, with critical habitats established in several Kansas counties. A small weasel like animal that grows up to 23 inches in length, its stripes are intermittent, giving a spotted appearance.

2. Whooping Crane
Listed as endangered in 1978, the state of Kansas has provided critical habitats, but has yet to establish a recovery plan for the whooping crane – the tallest North American bird. Their preferred habitats are remote wetlands on level ground.

3. Gray Bat
Added to the endangered list in 1987, the gray bat is the largest Myotis species in the Eastern United States. A cave dweller by nature, but in Kansas depends on storm sewers located in Cherokee Plains. No recovery plan is in place although two Kansas counties contain critical habitats.

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4. Cave Salamander
Restricted to the Ozark area of Cherokee County, cave salamanders have been on the endangered list since 1978, but a recovery plan is active to increase their numbers. They grow up to 6 inches in length and are bright orange and yellow with black spots.

5. Lake Sturgeon
Designated as a species in need of conservation (SINC) since 2009, the lake sturgeon caught in Kansas is likely the result of restocking in Missouri, where the species is endangered. Prized for their caviar, there is currently a ban on commercial harvesting.

6. Neosho Madtom
Listed as endangered in 1978 and threatened in 1987, this 3-inch catfish has just four remaining habitats in Kansas. Dam construction and pollution from livestock feed runoff were the culprits but plans are in place to remove dams, which will restore valuable habitats.

This article is for information only. Please check current regulations before hunting.

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