Availability of Draft Recovery Plan for the Hawaiian Hoary Bat, Lasiurus cinereus semotus, for Review and Comment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Availability of Draft Recovery Plan for the Hawaiian Hoary Bat,

Lasiurus cinereus semotus, for Review and Comment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the

availability for public review of a draft recovery plan for the

Hawaiian hoary bat, Lasiurus cinereus semotus. This subspecies is known

from the islands of Hawaii, Maui, Oahu, Kauai, and Molokai. Population

numbers are not known, but Hawaiian hoary bats are observed regularly

only on Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui, and the bat is apparently restricted

in distribution on the latter two islands. There is a general lack of

historic and current data on this subspecies, and its present status is

not well understood.

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan received by December 24,

1997 will be considerated by the Service.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft recovery plan are available for

inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the

following locations: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Islands

Ecoregion, Room 3108, 300 Ala Moana Boulevard, P.O. Box 50088,

Honolulu, Hawaii 96850 (phone: 808/541-3441). Requests for copies of

the draft recovery plan and written comments and materials regarding

the plan should be addressed to Brooks Harper, Field Supervisor-

Ecological Services, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Islands

Ecoregion at the Honolulu address given above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Rosa, Assistant Field

Supervisor-Endangered Species, at the Honolulu address given above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Restoring endangered or threatened animals and plants to the point

where they are again secure, self-sustaining members of their ecosystem

is a primary goal of the Service's endangered species program. To help

guide the recovery effort, the Service is working to prepare recovery

plans for most of the listed species native to the United States, its

Territories and Commonwealths. Recovery plans describe actions

considered necessary for conservation of the species, establish

criteria for the recovery levels for downlisting or delisting them, and

estimate time and cost for implementing the recovery measures needed.

The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et

seq.) (Act), requires the development of recovery plans for listed

species unless such a plan would not promote the conservation of a

particular species. Section 4(f) of the Act, as amended in 1988,

requires that a public notice and an opportunity for public review and

comment be provided during recovery plan development. The Service will

consider all information presented during a public comment period prior

to approval of each new or revised recovery plan. Substantive technical

comments will result in changes to the

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plan. Substantive comments regarding recovery plan implementation may

not necessarily result in changes to the recovery plan, but will be

forwarded to appropriate Federal or other entities so that they can

take these comments into account during the course of implementing

recovery actions. Individualized responses to comments will not be

provided.

The subspecies being considered in this recovery plan is the

Hawaiian hoary bat, Lasiurus cinereus semotus. It is known from the

islands of Hawaii, Maui, Oahu Kauai, and Molokai. Population numbers

are not known, but Hawaiian hoary bats are observed regularly only on

Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui, and the bat is apparently restricted in

distribution on the latter two islands. There is a general lack of

historic and current data on this subspecies, and its present status is

not well understood. Habitat requirements for the Hawaiian hoary bat

are not well known. Bats are most often observed foraging in open

areas, near the edges of native forests, or over open water. Hawaiian

hoary bats roost solitarily in trees. Habitat requirements may vary

seasonally, but this is not clear. Threats to this subspecies include

habitat destruction (elimination of roosting sites), and possibly

direct and indirect effects of predation, pesticides, introduced

insects, and disease.

The objective of the actions proposed by this recovery plan is to

delist the Hawaiian hoary bat. Interim goals include determining the

abundance, distribution, and habitat needs of this subspecies. Interim

criteria for downlisting the Hawaiian hoary bat to threatened status

are also identified.

Delisting and downlisting decisions cannot be made without a basic

understanding of the Hawaiian hoary bat's distribution, abundance, and

habitat needs. Research addressing these questions must be undertaken

prior to consideration of delisting or downlisting.

Downlisting Objectives

A widespread population of Hawaiian hoary bats must be naturally

reproducing and stable or increasing in size on the island of Hawaii

for a minimum of 5 consecutive years before downlisting is considered.

Delisting Objectives

Hawaiian hoary bat populations on Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui must be

well-distributed, naturally reproducing, and stable or increasing in

size for at least 5 consecutive years before delisting is considered.

Public Comments Solicited

The Service solicits written comments on the recovery plan

described. All comments received by the date specified above will be

considered prior to approval of this plan.

Authority

The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered

Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).

Dated: September 15, 1997.

Thomas J. Dwyer,

Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 1.

[FR Doc. 97-25424 Filed 9-24-97; 8:45 am]

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