[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 173 (Friday, September 7, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51461-51462]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-17679]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Draft Recovery Plan for Columbia Basin Distinct Population
Segment of the Pygmy Rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis)
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of document availability for review and comment.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of a draft recovery plan for the Columbia Basin distinct
population segment of the pygmy rabbit for public review and comment.
DATES: We must receive any comments on the draft recovery plan on or
before November 6, 2007.
ADDRESSES: The draft recovery plan and reference materials are
available for inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours
at the following location: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Upper
Columbia Fish and Wildlife Office, 11103 East Montgomery Drive,
Spokane, Washington 99206 (Telephone: 509-891-6839). Submitted comments
regarding the draft recovery plan will also be available for public
inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours following the
public review and comment period. Requests for copies of the draft
recovery plan and submission of written comments or materials regarding
the plan should be addressed to the Field Supervisor at the above
address. An electronic copy of the draft recovery plan is also
available at: http://endangered.fws.gov/recovery/index.html#plans.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chris Warren, Fish and Wildlife
Biologist, by writing to the above address, by calling 509-893-8020, or
by electronic mail at: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Recovery of endangered or threatened animals and plants is a
primary goal of the Endangered Species Act (Act) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et
seq.) and our endangered species program. Recovery means improvement of
the status of listed species to the point at which listing is no longer
required under the criteria set out in section 4(a)(1) of the Act.
Recovery plans describe actions considered necessary for the
conservation of the species, establish criteria for downlisting or
delisting listed species, and estimate time and cost for implementing
the measures needed for recovery.
Section 4(f) of the Act directs the Secretaries of Interior and
Commerce to develop and implement recovery plans for species listed as
endangered or threatened, unless such plans will not promote the
conservation of the species. We and the National Marine Fisheries
Service, as appropriate, have been delegated responsibility for
administering the Act. Section 4(f) of the Act requires that public
notice, and an opportunity for public review and comment, be provided
during development of recovery plans. We will consider all information
presented during the public comment period on each new or revised
recovery plan. Substantive comments may or may not result in changes to
a recovery plan. However, any substantive comments regarding recovery
plan implementation will be forwarded to appropriate Federal agencies
or other interested entities so that they can take these comments into
account during the implementation of their respective management
programs. Individual responses to submitted comments will not be
provided.
The pygmy rabbit is the smallest rabbit species in North America,
with adult lengths of under 1 foot and weights of less than 1 pound.
The pygmy rabbit is distinguishable from other rabbit species by its
small size, short ears, small hind legs, and lack of white on the tail.
Historically, pygmy rabbits were found throughout the semi-arid
sagebrush steppe biome of the Great Basin and adjacent intermountain
regions of the western United States, including portions of Oregon,
California, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Washington.
Within this broad biome, pygmy rabbits are typically found in habitat
types that include tall, dense stands of sagebrush (Artemesia spp.), on
which they are highly dependent for both food and shelter throughout
the year. The pygmy rabbit is one of only two rabbit species in North
America that digs its own burrows and, therefore, is most often found
in areas that also include relatively deep, loose soils that allow
burrowing.
The pygmy rabbit has been present within the Columbia Basin, a
geographic area that extends from northern Oregon through central
Washington, for over 100,000 years. This distinct population segment of
the pygmy rabbit, which is referred to as the Columbia Basin pygmy
rabbit and is the subject of this draft recovery plan, is believed to
have been disjunct from the remainder of the species' range for at
least 10,000 years, as suggested by the fossil record, and possibly as
long as 40,000 to 115,000 years, as suggested by population genetic
analyses. Museum specimens and sighting records indicate that during
the first half of the 20th century, the Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit
likely occurred in portions of six Washington counties, including
Douglas, Grant, Lincoln, Adams, Franklin, and Benton.
Columbia Basin pygmy rabbits were thought to be extirpated from
Washington during the mid-1900s, however, they were again located in
the State in 1979. Intensive surveys in 1987 and 1988 discovered five
small subpopulations in southern Douglas County; three occurred on
State lands and two on private lands. The number of Columbia Basin
pygmy rabbit subpopulations and active burrows in Washington has
declined dramatically over the past decade. In addition, surveys of the
last known subpopulation conducted from 2004 through 2006 did not
detect any animals, indicating that the Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit may
have been extirpated from the wild. We listed this distinct population
segment under emergency provisions of the Act in 2001, and fully listed
it as endangered in 2003, without critical habitat.
Large-scale loss and fragmentation of native shrub-steppe habitats,
primarily for agricultural development, likely played a primary role in
the long-term decline of the Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit. Imminent
threats related to small population size include chance environmental
events (e.g., extreme weather), catastrophic habitat loss or resource
failure (e.g., from wildfire),
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predation, disease, demographic limitations, loss of genetic diversity,
and inbreeding.
In 2001, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife began a
captive breeding program for the Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit.
Ultimately, the goal of the captive breeding program is to facilitate
future releases of captive-bred animals at suitable sites within the
population's historical distribution to begin the process of its
recovery in the wild. However, the captive purebred Columbia Basin
pygmy rabbits did not produce enough offspring to accommodate
reintroduction efforts, and only a minimal number of purebred animals
have been available since the program's first breeding season in 2002.
In addition, the available information indicates that the Columbia
Basin pygmy rabbit has experienced a loss of genetic diversity as a
result of inbreeding and genetic drift. Due to poor demographic,
behavioral, physiological, and genetic indicators for pure Columbia
Basin pygmy rabbit breeding efforts, intercross matings between
Columbia Basin pygmy rabbits and pygmy rabbits of the same taxonomic
classification from a discrete population in Idaho were initiated
during the 2003 breeding season.
In March, 2007, 20 captive-bred pygmy rabbits were reintroduced to
habitats historically occupied by the species within the Columbia Basin
of central Washington. These captive-bred animals experienced a high
level of predation over the first several weeks following their
release. As of May 15, 2007, five of these animals remained alive and
they will continue to be monitored throughout the 2007 breeding season.
Just prior to the initial release effort, there were 86 individuals
included in the captive breeding program, 3 of which were purebred
Columbia Basin animals. At least one wild-born, and likely captive bred
kit (approximately 1-month old) has been documented at the release
site. The remaining captive-bred female was also observed displaying
nesting behavior. The balance of the captive population and those
recently released to the wild consist of intercross pygmy rabbits.
Intercross breeding has helped facilitate genetic restoration of the
Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit and is considered essential for recovery
efforts. Currently, proposed measures to recover the Columbia Basin
pygmy rabbit in the wild include additional releases of captive-bred
animals with at least 75 percent Columbia Basin ancestry.
The draft recovery plan proposes a phased approach to recovery
implementation: first, removal or abatement of imminent threats to
prevent the extinction of the Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit; second,
reestablishment of an appropriate number and distribution of free-
ranging subpopulations over the near-term; and third, establishment and
protection of a resilient, free-ranging population that could withstand
foreseeable long-term threats. A key near-term objective of Federal
recovery efforts is to reintroduce Columbia Basin pygmy rabbits to the
wild and sufficiently reduce threats to the population to ensure a high
probability of its persistence over the foreseeable future. The long-
term recovery goal is to increase the number, distribution, and
security of free-ranging Columbia Basin pygmy rabbits so that the
population may be reclassified as threatened and, ultimately, be
removed from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants
under the Act. The draft recovery plan identifies the following main
actions as necessary to initiate recovery of the Columbia Basin pygmy
rabbit: (1) Manage the captive breeding program; (2) manage genetic
characteristics; (3) survey for and monitor free-ranging individuals;
(4) reestablish free-ranging subpopulations within their historical
distribution; (5) protect free-ranging individuals; (6) manage habitats
at recovery emphasis areas to support stable, self-sustaining
subpopulations; (7) pursue cooperative agreements with land owners and
managers of intervening properties within the population's historical
distribution; (8) exchange information with stakeholders and the
general public to address concerns and increase support for recovery
efforts; (9) secure funding for recovery efforts; and (10) revise the
recovery plan as necessary to achieve the phased recovery strategy.
Public Comments Solicited
We solicit written comments on the draft recovery plan described in
this notice. All comments received by the date specified above will be
considered in development of a final recovery plan for the Columbia
Basin pygmy rabbit.
Authority
The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered
Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533 (f).
Dated: July 26, 2007.
David Wesley,
Acting Regional Director, Region 1, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. E7-17679 Filed 9-6-07; 8:45 am]
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