The BLM manages habitat for 245 wildlife and plant species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and another 31 species identified as candidates for listing. An even greater number of rare and sensitve species depend on the public lands, including about 800 species of rare plants. The list also includes birds, frogs, butterflies, fish and mammals. Rare and sensitive species are not federally listed as threatened or endangered but they warrant special management attention to keep them from becoming listed in the future. In some cases, the public lands offer the best hope for recovery of species threatened by encroaching urban or agricultural development. About 450 of these 800 rare or listed plant and animal species are believed to occur only on BLM-managed lands. The BLM’s Threatened and Endangered Species Program works to conserve and recover federally-listed species and their habitat on public lands. The program also provides support for conservation of non-listed rare plant species with a goal of avoiding the need to list them in the future. The BLM places a special emphasis on maintaining functioning ecosystems to benefit all wildlife and plants, and restoring habitat. Because the habitat of many species includes lands and waters not administered by the BLM, successful conservation requires extensive collaboration and cooperation with a number of partners.