INTRODUCTION

The Database on the Economics and Management of Endangered Species (DEMES) was developed for social scientists and policy analysts interested in the regulations affecting the management of endangered species. A mix of scientific, managerial, political, legal, and economic variables is contained in this database for species meeting one of the following criteria:

1. Species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

2. Species formerly listed under the ESA.

3. Species petitioned or proposed for listing between 1991 and July 1997 whose placement on the list was deemed unwarranted by Fish and Wildlife Service.

4. Vertebrate species with a ranking of N3 to N1 in the Nature Conservancy's (TNC) species database. TNC ranking represents the “relative rarity or endangerment of the species” and is comprised of a 5-point scale – N5 is not endangered; N1 is critically endangered. We included species with ranks between N1 and N3 to capture those species that might conceivably be considered for endangered species conservation. The database thus provides the ability to compare the management received under the ESA for an independently chosen set of endangered species.

5. A few additional species not meeting any of the above requirements with significant government spending.

The database contains variables describing the management of species under the ESA, and the political, legal, and social factors that might affect this decision making. The project hopes to provide an excellent starting point for researchers interested in understanding and improving the decisionmaking processes and institutional design of the ESA.