More than a quarter of Connecticut's plant and wildlife species need more conservation research due to declining populations, threats, cultural importance or lack of data.
That's according to the latest version of Connecticut's Wildlife Action Plan. The 10-year plan, required of all states, identifies plants and animals that need more monitoring. The goal is to prevent them from being put on an endangered species list in the future.
“In order to do that, we're looking at our species of greatest conservation need, species that are vulnerable or declining, species that could benefit from some conservation attention,” said Brian Hess, a wildlife biologist with Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), who worked on the plan.
“If you do the work on some of these vulnerable, declining species before they need state listing or federal listing, you can save yourself a lot of headache and do a lot of really good work,” Hess said.
The plan identified 1,088 species, making up 26% of all plants and animals known to live in Connecticut.
Climate change, deteriorating habitats and pollution are big threats
Scientists say climate change is one of the major threats.
“It’s an overarching and compounding threat that really does kind of get its fingers into almost everything that we do,” Hess said.
As temperatures rise, invasive plants — and their diseases — are able to spread more quickly, especially in habitats that aren’t as healthy.
One of the things researchers will be looking at is making sure animals are able to move to more suitable areas “as the habitat that they’re in might become warmer, drier, wetter,” Hess said.
Habitats are also deteriorating due to human development. According to the report, satellite-based remote sensing images by the University of Connecticut show the state has lost 18 acres a day since 1985 due to development, including buildings, parking lots and roads.
Although Connecticut still has a high percentage of forest cover remaining, nearby development has rendered some forests unsuitable for species like the scarlet tanager, a bird that requires undeveloped forest areas away from roads and buildings.
Pollution, including pesticide runoff and trash is another risk factor. Eagles and ospreys can get their feet tangled up in fishing line to the point where they can’t move.
CT’s Wildlife Action Plan: Numbers and priorities
Connecticut’s Wildlife Action Plan splits plants and animals into two categories. One identifies species with declining populations or vulnerabilities, known as “species of greatest concern.” The plan identifies 573 such species, including bald eagles, eastern box turtles, wood frogs and more.
The other group identifies species that need more information to better understand their status. These are known as “state assessment priority species.” The plan identifies 515 priority species, including the great horned owl, smallmouth bass and red-bellied snake.
“They’re species that we kind of take for granted, but we kind of want to maybe pay a little bit of extra attention to how they’re doing,” Hess said.
The report’s top priority is research and monitoring. While some conservation actions will be taken by DEEP, the department is hoping municipalities and individuals will also help with research efforts. Conservation actions will be tracked and mapped on the department’s new conservation action tracker.
“One of the ways that we're trying to look at success is getting a lot of people involved,” Hess said. “More awareness, more people working on this problem and just a new generation of folks that are engaged in caring and dealing with wildlife conservation and the conservation of the world around them.”
Connecticut’s updated plan was approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Dec. 10, 2025.
Áine Pennello is a Report for America corps member, covering the environment and climate change for Connecticut Public
