State Wildlife Action Plan

The Guam Dept. of Agriculture (DAWR) and UOG CIS and SG are revising the Guam State Wildlife Action Plan, also known as the Guam SWAP. All U.S. states and territories are required by Congress to have a SWAP and undergo a major revision every ten years to qualify for funding from State Wildlife Grants to address wildlife conservation needs. Funded projects focus on species of greatest conservation need, which are identified in these wildlife actions plans.

Through public outreach and species expert interviews, the Guam SWAP identifies and focuses on a list of species of greatest conservation need (SOGCN), along with their key threats and the actions needed to conserve them. 

It is crucial to emphasize that the SOGCN list is not meant to designate more species as endangered or threatened. SOGCN are not required to be native or endemic to Guam. Any species—plant or animal, marine or terrestrial—can be included in this list if it is ecologically, economically, or culturally important. Examples include medicinal plants like Iodigao (Volkameria inermis) or traditional dishes like ayuyu (Birgus latro).

In the past decade, projects funded by State Wildlife Grants included monitoring sea turtle nests, supporting the feeding of ko’ko’ and sihek, and building a small rearing facility for the Marianas 8-spot butterfly. These examples emphasize the value of having our SWAP and the importance of making sure it continues to work for our species.