Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 5-Year Status Review of the Red Wolf

AGENCY:

Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of initiation of review; request for information.

SUMMARY:

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are initiating a 5-year status review for the red wolf (Canis rufus) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). A 5-year review is an assessment of the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review. We are requesting submission of information that has become available since the last review of this species.

DATES:

To allow us adequate time to conduct this review, we must receive your comments or information on or before December 30, 2016. However, we will continue to accept new information about any listed species at any time.

ADDRESSES:

For instructions on how to submit information and review information we receive on the red wolf, see “Request for New Information.”

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Aaron Valenta, Chief, Division of Restoration and Recovery, 404-679-4144.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Why do we conduct a 5-year review?

Under the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), we maintain lists of endangered and threatened wildlife and plant species in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 50 CFR 17.11 (for wildlife) and 17.12 (for plants). Section 4(c)(2)(A) of the Act requires us to review each listed species' status at least once every 5 years. Our regulations at 50 CFR 424.21 require that we publish a notice in the Federal Register announcing those species under active review. For additional information about 5-year reviews, go to http://www.fws.gov/endangered/what-we-do/recovery-overview.html,, scroll down to “Learn More about 5-Year Reviews,” and click on our factsheet.

Species Under Review

This notice announces our active review of the red wolf (Canis rufus), which is currently listed as endangered.

What information do we consider in our review?

In conducting a 5-year review, the Service considers the best scientific and commercial data that have become available since the current listing determination or most recent status review of each species, such as:

A. Species biology, including but not limited to population trends, distribution, abundance, demographics, and genetics;

B. Habitat conditions, including but not limited to amount, distribution, and suitability;

C. Conservation measures that have been implemented to benefit the species;

D. Threat status and trends (see five factors under heading “How Do We Determine Whether a Species Is Endangered or Threatened?”); and

E. Other new information, data, or corrections, including but not limited to taxonomic or nomenclatural changes, identification of erroneous information contained in the Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants, and improved analytical methods.

New information will be considered in the 5-year review and ongoing recovery programs for the species.

Definitions

A. Species means any species or subspecies of fish, wildlife, or plant, and any distinct population segment of any species of vertebrate which interbreeds when mature.

B. Endangered means any species that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.

C. Threatened means any species that is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range.

How do we determine whether a species is endangered or threatened?

Section 4(a)(1) of the Act establishes that we determine whether a species is endangered or threatened based on one or more of the following five factors:

A. The present or threatened destruction, modification, or curtailment of its habitat or range;

B. Overutilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or educational purposes;

C. Disease or predation;

D. The inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms; or

E. Other natural or manmade factors affecting its continued existence.

Request for New Information

To do any of the following, contact Aaron Valenta at the Service's Southeast Regional Office, 1875 Century Boulevard, Atlanta, GA 30345; fax 404-679-7081; email at aaron_valenta@fws.gov:

A. To get more information on the red wolf;

B. To submit information on the red wolf; or

C. To review information we receive, which will be available for public inspection by appointment, during normal business hours at the Southeast Regional Office, Ecological Services Division, at the address above.

We request any new information concerning the status of the red wolf. See “What information do we consider in our review?” above for specific criteria. Information submitted should be supported by documentation such as maps, bibliographic references, methods used to gather and analyze the data, and/or copies of any pertinent publications, reports, or letters by knowledgeable sources.

Public Availability of Comments

Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that the entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Authority

We publish this document under the authority of the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).