Reference Document 3-2
Appendix 3
Threats NHP data and other observations collected from experts were used to rate up to three threats for each species according to the severity, scope, and immediacy of each threat. If more than three threats exist for a species, the three most severe were used in the threat assessment. This evaluation includes indirect and direct threats that are observed, inferred, or suspected to have an impact on the species. During each threat assessment, the severity, scope, and immediacy were also assigned a ranked value of high, medium, or low as described below. This evaluation also allows for the possibility of species to have no or insignificant threats. Threat Severity • High: Loss of species population (all individuals) or destruction of species habitat in area affected, irreversible or requiring long term recovery (>100 yr). • Moderate: Major reduction of species population or long term degradation or reduction of habitat in area affected, requiring 50 100 yr for recovery. • Low: Low but nontrivial reduction of species population or reversible degradation or reduction of habitat in area affected, with recovery expected in 10 50 yr. • Insignificant: Essentially no reduction of population or degradation of habitat due to threats, or populations or habitats able to recover quickly (within 10 yr) from minor temporary loss. Note that effects of locally sustainable levels of hunting, fishing, logging, collecting, or other harvest from wild populations are generally considered Insignificant as defined here.
Threat Scope •
High: >60% of total population, occurrences, or area affected. • Moderate: 20 60% of total population, occurrences, or area affected. • Low: 5 20% of total population, occurrences, or area affected. • Insignificant: <5% of total population or area affected.
Threat Immediacy •
High: Threat is operational (happening now) or imminent (within a year). • Moderate: Threat is likely to be operational within 2 5 yr. • Low: Threat is likely to be operational within 5 20 yr. • Insignificant: Threat not likely to be operational within 20 yr.
The values assigned for the severity, scope, and immediacy of each threat were incorporated into a matrix that generated a single, consolidated threat category value for that threat (see Table 2). The highest ranking threat value among the three threats per species was recorded as the overall threat value for that species. For example, the top three threats recorded for Venus
2025 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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