DNR is proposing updates to Georgia’s protected species list. The list includes plant and animal species protected under the Georgia Endangered Wildlife Act of 1973 (O.C.G.A. § 27-3-5) or Wildflower Preservation Act of 1973 (O.C.G.A. § 12-6-3), as detailed in Rule 391-4-10: Protection of Endangered, Threatened, Rare or Unusual Species.

These are the Georgia species considered most in need of conservation. State listing prohibits intentionally harming protected animals and removing plants from state lands without a permit or from private land without the landowner’s permission. It also encourages voluntary conservation to protect habitats, focuses DNR efforts to prevent species from declining to the point they need protection under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and authorizes the agency to work with federally listed wildlife.

DNR periodically reviews the list and recommends revisions as needed. The proposed changes – the first since 2006 – include adding and removing species, updating scientific names, and matching the status of species to their federal listing.

The draft changes were developed by technical teams charged with reviewing the conservation status of plants and animals for the 2025 revision of Georgia’s State Wildlife Action Plan. The public also can nominate species for this update from June 1-30, 2026, using the online form available under Nominate Species for Listing. Final amendments to Rule 391-4-10 will be made available for comment before being recommended to the Board of Natural Resources for adoption.

Resources

• Current list of Georgia’s state-protected plant and animal species
• Proposed list changes
• Georgia State Wildlife Action Plan
• Profiles of State Wildlife Action Plan Species of Greatest Conservation Need

Listing Criteria

Criteria for state-listing of a species include:

• The present or threatened destruction, modification or curtailment of its habitat.
• Overutilization for commercial, sporting, scientific or educational purposes. 
• Disease or predation. 
• The inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms. 
• Other natural or man-made factors affecting its continued existence.

DNR’s primary data source for evaluating these criteria is Georgia's 2025 State Wildlife Action Plan. This comprehensive, statewide strategy used hundreds of experts to assess the conservation status of Georgia’s Species of Greatest Conservation Need based on rarity, trends and threats.  

Species protected under the Georgia Endangered Wildlife Act of 1973 or Wildflower Preservation Act of 1973 and detailed in Rule 391-4-10 are classified as follows.

• Endangered: Any resident species that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range, or one which is designated as endangered under the provisions of the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973
• Threatened: Any resident species that is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range or one that is designated as threatened under the provisions of the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973.
• Rare: Any resident species that, although not presently endangered or threatened as defined, should be protected because of its scarcity.
• Unusual: Any resident species that exhibits special or unique features and because of these features deserves special consideration in its continued survival in the state.

Nominate Species for Listing

Before nominating a species to add, delete or otherwise change its state-list status, please review profiles of Georgia’s Species of Greatest Conservation Need – including the sections on life history, habitat, range, threats and management recommendations. These species are considered most in need of conservation, to either recover those listed under the federal Endangered Species Act or keep them from declining to the point they need federal listing.

DNR will also consider other scientific and commercial data. Nominations can include distribution maps, publications, web links and other supporting data or text. The form includes instructions.

Nominate a Species

The nomination period for this cycle is June 1-30, 2026. Nominations received after June 30 will be considered for a subsequent revision of the protected plants and animals list. Nominations can be made at any time.

Note: Species considered extirpated from the state will be removed from the current list, and extirpated species will not be considered for addition.

FAQs

Read or download Protected Species List FAQs (PDF).