Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Revision of Recovery Plan for the Florida Panther

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Revision of

Recovery Plan for the Florida Panther

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to revise recovery plan.

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

intent to revise the recovery plan for the endangered Florida panther,

Puma (Felis) concolor coryi. The Service established a Recovery Team

comprised of key individuals and scientists involved in the Florida

panther recovery program to guide the revision process. Additional

opportunities for public review and comment will be available when the

revised plan is in draft form.

DATES: Comments from all interested parties must be received by March

2, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments and materials concerning the recovery plan revision

should be sent to Dennis B. Jordan, Recovery Team Leader, U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 110450, Gainesville, Florida 32611-0450.

Copies of the current recovery plan are available at the same address.

Comments and materials received will be available for public

inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the above

address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Dennis B. Jordan at the above

address, (telephone 352/846-0546; facsimile 352/846-0841.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Restoring endangered or threatened animals or plants to the point

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

ecosystems 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. Recovery plans describe actions considered necessary for

conservation of the species, establish criteria for recognizing the

recovery levels for downlisting or delisting them, and estimate time

and costs 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. The Service and other

Federal agencies will also take these comments into account in the

course of implementing approved recovery plans.

[[Page 67887]]

The species considered in this recovery plan revision is the

Florida panther, Puma (Felis) concolor coryi. Historically ranging

throughout most of the southeast U.S., the Florida panther has been

reduced to a single known wild population estimated to number 30 to 50

adults. This population utilizes approximately two million acres of

habitat on public and privately owned lands in south Florida. Threats

to the panther are generally related to factors associated with its

habitat--availability, destruction, modification, fragmentation,

contamination and the types and levels of human activities taking place

within habitat areas; and, demographic and genetic factors associated

with isolation, population reductions and inbreeding within the small

population.

Previous Federal Action

This proposed revision represents the second major revision of the

recovery plan since its initial approval by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service on December 17, 1981. The first major revision was approved on

June 22, 1987. Additionally, a minor revision to incorporate a task to

address genetic restoration and management was approved on March 13,

1995.

Public Comments Solicited

The current Recovery Team elected to expand involvement in the

revision process to include other entities; those considered to be

potential ``stakeholders'' in the panther recovery program. Potential

stakeholders may represent interests of Native Americans, landowners,

conservation organizations, hunters, agriculture, timber, animal

rights, property rights, public agencies, education/public outreach,

development/real estate, etc.

The Service solicits written input regarding suggested recovery

actions/tasks that should be considered in drafting the revised

recovery plan. All comments received by the date specified above will

be considered prior to drafting the revised plan. Additional

opportunities for public review and comment will be available when the

revised plan is in draft form.

Authority

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

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

Dated: December 11, 1997.

David Hankla,

Field Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 97-33811 Filed 12-29-97; 8:45 am]

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