DISTRICT ONE
HIGHLANDS COUNTY Feasibility Study
An area of influence, as defined in the previous sections, was used to perform a desktop analysis to identify environmental impacts within the US 27 corridor and adjacent communities, herein referred to as study region in this section.
Natural
The natural resources analysis performed in the study region included a review for the presence of federal and/or state protected species and their suitable habitats, Essential Fish Habitats, wetlands, Outstanding Florida Waters, Wild and Scenic Rivers, floodplains and Coastal Barrier Resources.
Thirteen federally listed species, ten state listed species and two managed, non-listed species were determined to be present or have likelihood for utilization of habitats within or adjacent to the study region. The study region overlaps designated United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) critical habitat for the Florida Bonneted Bat and the West Indian Manatee. Table 7, Table 8 and Table 9 list the federal, state and non-listed species respectively, which may utilize habitats within or adjacent to the US 27 corridor.
Table 7: Federally Protected Species
Common Name Scientific Name Federal Status
MAMMAL
Florida Bonneted Bat Eumops floridanus Endangered
Florida Panther Felis concolor coryi Endangered
West Indian Manatee Trichechus manatus Threatened
BIRD
Audubon's Crested Caracara Polyborus plancus audubonii Threatened
Florida Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum floridanus Endangered
Red-cockaded Woodpecker Picoides borealis Endangered
Florida Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma coerulescens Threatened
Everglades Snail Kite Rostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus Endangered
Eastern Black Rail Laterallus jamaicensis ssp. Jamaicaensis Threatened
Wood Stork Mycteria americana Threatened
REPTILE
Bluetail Mole Skink Eumeces egregius lividus Threatened
Sand Skink Neoseps reynoldsi Threatened
Eastern Indigo Snake Drymarchon couperi Threatened
Table 8: State Protected Species
Common NameScientific NameState Status
BIRD
Burrowing OwlAthene cuniculariaThreatened
Sandhill CraneGrus canadensisThreatened
Southeastern American KestrelFalco sparverius paulusThreatened
Least Tern (beach-nesting bird)Sternula antillarumThreatened
Little blue heron (wading bird)Egretta caeruleaThreatened
Roseate Spoonbill (wading bird)Platalea ajajaThreatened
REPTILE
Alligator snapping turtleMarcochelys suwanniensisThreatened
Key ringneck snakeDiadophis punctatus acricusThreatened
Short-tailed snakeLampropeltis extenuateThreatened
Gopher TortoiseGopherus polyphemusThreatened
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