Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants, Notice of Reopening of Comment Period on Proposed Endangered Status for the Peninsular Ranges Population of the Desert Bighorn Sheep

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AB73

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants, Notice of

Reopening of Comment Period on Proposed Endangered Status for the

Peninsular Ranges Population of the Desert Bighorn Sheep

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule, notice of reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), pursuant to the

Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), provides notice of

reopening of the comment period for the proposed endangered status for

the Peninsular Ranges population of desert bighorn sheep (Ovis

canadensis). The comment period has been reopened to acquire additional

information from interested parties, and to resume the proposed listing

action. In addition, the Service is seeking public comment on various

articles and reports concerning the distinctiveness and status of

bighorn sheep in the Peninsular Ranges.

DATES: The public comment period closes May 7, 1997. Any comments

received by the closing date will be considered in the final decision

on this proposal.

ADDRESSES: Written comments, materials and data, and available reports

and articles concerning this proposal should be sent directly to the

Field Supervisor, Carlsbad Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service, 2730 Loker Avenue West, Carlsbad, California 92008. Comments

and materials received will be available for public inspection, by

appointment, during normal business hours at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Sorensen, at the address listed

above (telephone 760/431-9440, facsimile 760/431-9618).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The Peninsular Ranges population of the desert bighorn sheep occurs

along desert slopes of the Peninsular Ranges from the vicinity of Palm

Springs, California, into northern Baja California, Mexico. Depressed

recruitment, habitat loss and degradation, disease, loss of dispersal

corridors, and random events (e.g., drought) affecting small

populations threaten the desert bighorn sheep in the Peninsular Ranges.

On May 8, 1992, the Service published a rule proposing endangered

status for the Peninsular Ranges population of the desert bighorn sheep

(57 FR 19837). The original comment period closed on November 4, 1992.

The Service was unable to make a final listing determination regarding

the bighorn sheep because of a limited budget, other endangered species

assignments driven by court orders, and higher listing priorities. In

addition, a moratorium on listing actions (Public Law 104-6), which

took effect on April 10, 1995, stipulated that no funds could be used

to make final listing or critical habitat determinations. Now that

funding has been restored, the Service is proceeding with a final

determination for the Peninsular Ranges population of the desert

bighorn sheep.

Due to the length of time that has elapsed since the close of the

initial comment period, changing procedural

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and biological circumstances and the need to review the best scientific

information available during the decision-making process, the comment

period is being reopened. Moreover, this proposed listing of a

population of desert bighorn sheep must be consistent with Service

policy published on February 7, 1996, regarding the recognition of

distinct vertebrate population segments (61 FR 4722). This policy

requires that distinct population segments be discrete from other

populations of the species, be biologically and/or ecologically

significant to the species, and meet the standards of a endangered or

threatened species under section 4(a) of the Act. In this regard, the

following recent articles and reports contained in Service files,

including other non-cited information, are available for public review:

Berger, J. 1990. Persistence of different-sized populations: An

empirical assessment of rapid extinctions. Conservation Biology 4:91-

98.

Bleich, V. C., J. D. Wehausen, and S. A. Holl 1990. Desert-dwelling

mountain sheep: Conservation implications of a naturally fragmented

distribution. Conservation Biology 4:383-390.

Bleich, V. C., J. D. Wehausen, R. R. Ramey II, and J. L. Rechel

1997. Metapopulation theory and mountain sheep: Implications for

conservation. Pages 353-373 in D. R. McCullough, editor.

Metapopulations and Wildlife Conservation, Island Press, Washington

D.C.

Bighorn Institute 1996. Summary of the San Jacinto Mountains

helicopter survey of Peninsular bighorn sheep. unpublished report, 2

pp.

Bighorn Institute 1996. Summary of the Santa Rosa Mountains

helicopter survey of Peninsular bighorn sheep. unpublished report, 3

pp.

Boyce, W. M., P. W. Hedrick, N. E. Muggli-Cockett, S. Kalinowski,

M. C. T. Penedo, and R. R. Ramey II 1997. Genetic variation of major

histocompatibility complex and microsatellite loci: A comparison in

bighorn sheep. Genetics 145:421-433.

DeForge, J. R., E. M. Barrett, S. D. Ostermann, M. C. Jorgensen,

and S. G. Torres 1995. Population dynamics of Peninsular bighorn sheep

in the Santa Rosa Mountains, California. Desert Bighorn Council Trans.

39:50-57.

R. R. Ramey II 1995. Mitochondrial DNA variation, population

structure, and evolution of mountain sheep in the south-western United

States and Mexico. Molecular Ecology 4:429-439.

Rubin, E., and W. Boyce 1996. Results of helicopter survey

conducted in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, unpublished memo to Steve

Torres (CDFG Bighorn Sheep Coordinator) and project collaborators. 6

pp.

Wehausen, J. D., and R. R. Ramey II 1993. A morphometric

reevaluation of the Peninsular bighorn subspecies. Desert Bighorn

Council Trans. 37:1-10.

Regarding the above articles and reports, the Service particularly

seeks information concerning:

(1) The biological and ecological distinctiveness of bighorn sheep

in the Peninsular Ranges from other populations of bighorn sheep;

(2) other biological, commercial, or other relevant data on any

threat (or lack thereof) to bighorn sheep in the Peninsular Ranges; and

(3) the current size, number, or distribution of bighorn sheep

populations in the Peninsular Ranges.

Written comments may now be submitted until [May 7, 1997] to the

Service office in the ADDRESSES section.

Authority

The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of 1973

(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

Dated: April 1, 1997.

Thomas J. Dwyer,

Regional Director, Region 1.

[FR Doc. 97-8779 Filed 4-4-97; 8:45 am]

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