You are here

Rare Species Reporting Form

New York Natural Heritage Program
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
625 Broadway, 5th Floor
Albany, NY 12233-4757

Use this form to report an observation of a rare animal or rare plant. Your information will be reviewed for inclusion in our database of rare species locations.
Thank you for helping us grow the Natural Heritage database.

1. Complete this form for first-hand observations only. If the source of your information is a report, letter, or other document, please send it to the above address, or for Plants, email botany [at] nynhp [dot] org, and for Animals, email zoology [at] nynhp [dot] org.
2. Items marked with a * are required. Fill in other items if known and applicable.
3. Rare Birds: complete this form only for observations during the breeding season or at large concentration areas during migration or winter.
4. Enter GPS coordinates into this form, and/or attach a map with the location of the species clearly marked, or send a map to the address above.
5. Attach any photos of the species or location, or send photos to the address above.
6. Reports of rare plants and of some animals require photos or specimens to confirm identification. Only collect specimens legally, with appropriate landowner permissions and/or permits, and if there is no harm to the population.

Rare Animal Status List can be found here
Rare Plant Status List can be found here

Enter GPS Coordinates and/or Attach a Location Map (see below).

E.g., within population, observer's location at roadside, trail-head.
A. Latitude or UTM/State Plane North
A. Longitude or UTM/State Plane East
B. Latitude or UTM/State Plane North
B. Longitude or UTM/State Plane East
C. Latitude or UTM/State Plane North
C. Longitude or UTM/State Plane East
D. Latitude or UTM/State Plane North
D. Longitude or UTM/State Plane East
E. Latitude or UTM/State Plane North
E. Longitude or UTM/State Plane East
Describe the precise location of the species and how to get there; include nearby landmarks (with GPS coordinates if desired), trails, and street names, and distances from the nearest street. Include directions to separate groups of organisms if needed.
Attach Location Map with location of species marked, and that includes landmarks & roads. 2mb or smaller please. -OR-
Enter web address (URL) of map stored online
Animals: Enter the number of adults, juveniles, nests, shells, etc., and behaviors observed. E.g., 4 adults, 3 young, adults feeding young. Plants: Enter the number of units you counted, such as individual plants, clumps, floating masses, area of stems, etc., and the number or percentage of plants in flower and fruit, if known. E.g. 10 plants, 5 in flower, 5 in fruit. E.g. Hundreds of clumps with many stems each, all flowering. E.g. 2 large areas of ground cover vines, no flowers. If there are separate groups or locations, enter numbers or areas for each group if possible. E.g. 5 plants in north group, 7 plants in group beside river. Please provide some measure of effort: amount of time spent, area covered, person-hours of search time, etc.
If applicable, enter the total estimated area occupied by the population, and specify units (e.g. square meters). If the area occupied is long and narrow, please indicate length and width.
Write a description of the habitat where the species is found. Include habitat type (woods, marsh, fields, etc.), most common trees and other vegetation, other species present, and if known soils (sandy, loamy, clay), hydrology (inundated, saturated, moist, dry), and any other features of the habitat.
Enter name of landowners, if known, and address and contact information.
Describe current or potential threats, or human or natural changes that would affect the population. Examples include invasive species, development, natural succession, deer browse.
Was a specimen taken?
Where this specimen was sent.
Was a photo taken? If yes, please attach a copy (below).
Enter web address (URL) of photo(s) stored online