The primary objective of this project is to assess the health and distribution of dakota skippers in areas known to have supported populations as well as areas of high-quality habitat with no recently…

This Project Grant award of $100,000 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (CFDA 15.615) supports the North Dakota Department of Game and Fish in assessing the health and distribution of the Dakota skipper, a threatened butterfly species, across North Dakota. The primary objectives are to survey areas known to have supported Dakota skipper populations as well as areas of high-quality habitat that lack recent survey data. Vegetative surveys will also be conducted, as the Dakota skipper requires high-quality native prairie habitat. The data collected will be shared with land management entities to inform the development of management plans and recovery actions for this at-risk species. As a sub-award under this grant, the North Dakota Natural Resources Trust, a non-profit organization, will facilitate habitat restoration and enhancement projects on private lands to support Dakota skipper conservation. This 2-year project runs from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2025.

The primary objective of this project is to assess the health and distribution of dakota skippers in areas known to have supported populations as well as areas of high-quality habitat with no recently recorded survey history. In addition, because they require high quality native prairie, vegetative surveys will be conducted. These data will be disseminated to appropriate land management entities to inform the development of management plans and recovery actions.