Allocating Scarce Resources for Endangered Species Recovery

Abstract

This article examines the relationship between fiscal year 1990 Fish and Wildlife Service spending on endangered species recovery and the priority ranking assigned by the Fish and Wildlife Service to particular species. The focus of the analysis is on the extent to which resources were allocated to species assigned higher priority rankings. The major conclusions are: species' recovery priority rank is not related to funding decisions by the Fish and Wildlife Service; some of the individual factors that make up the overall priority ranking-recovery potential and conflict with development-are correlated to funding decisions; and the likelihood of receiving some Fish and Wildlife Service recovery funding was greater for mammals, birds, and fish.