The Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Species

*Please note, this site is under construction and the species listed below are proposed for listing.  The approved 2020 Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Species is currently in effect.

The Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board (Board) reviews and revises the Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Species (Illinois List) as warranted but no less often than every five years. The most recent review was completed in 2025, and the table below includes all species designated as endangered or threatened from that review. 

Listing, delisting, or change of listing status of species for the Illinois List are actions performed in consultation with and formal approval by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Authorized by the Illinois Endangered Species Protection Act, the Illinois List is officially promulgated via two Illinois Administrative Rules: the Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Fauna (Title 17 ILL. ADM. CODE, CH. I, SEC 1010) and the Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Flora (Title 17 ILL. ADM. CODE, CH. I, SEC 1050). More information on the listing process can be found on the Illinois List review and revision process website.

NOTE REGARDING FEDERALLY DESIGNATED ENDANGERED OR THREATENED SPECIES: All federally designated endangered or threatened species and subspecies have been automatically listed as endangered or threatened under the Illinois Endangered Species Protection Act and placed on the Illinois List by the Board and are protected under the Act even though their names do not appear in this checklist. Only those federally designated endangered or threatened species and subspecies known to occur in Illinois are designated as Illinois-endangered or Illinois-threatened by the Board. Users should refer to the US Fish and Wildlife Service website for a complete listing of all federally endangered and threatened species.

CRITERIA FOR STATE LISTING: 1) Species or subspecies designated as federally endangered or threatened, 2) Species proposed for Federal Endangered or Threatened status that occur in Illinois, 3) Species that formerly were widespread in Illinois but have been nearly extirpated from the State due to habitat destruction, collecting, or other pressures resulting from the development of Illinois, 4) Species that exhibit very restricted geographic ranges of which Illinois is a part, 5) Species that exhibit restricted habitats or low populations in Illinois, or 6) Species that are significant disjuncts in Illinois, i.e., the Illinois population is far removed from the rest of the species' range.

DEFINITIONS:

"Endangered Species" means any species of plant or animal classified as endangered under the Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973, P.L. 93-205, and amendments thereto, plus such other species which the Board may list as in danger of extinction in the wild in Illinois due to one or more causes including but not limited to, the destruction, diminution or disturbance of habitat, overexploitation, predation, pollution, disease, or other natural or manmade factors affecting its prospects of survival.

"Threatened Species" means any species of plant or animal classified as threatened under the Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973, P.L. 93-205, and amendments thereto, plus such other species which the Board may list as likely to become endangered in the wild in Illinois within the foreseeable future.

Note: this is the proposed 2025 Illinois List. 

Instructions for navigating the table:

• The search box can be used to find keywords or specific species. Delete the entry in the search box and press enter to return to the original table.
• The filter function can be used to filter the table by groups. Select the desired filter(s) and click on the "Filter Table" button.  Use the "Clear Filters" button to return to the original table.
• A spreadsheet may be downloaded using the "Export to CSV" link (note, if the table is filtered, only those records will be exported).
• A printable version of the 2025 Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Species Checklist is available in a PDF format.