[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 74 (Monday, April 18, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-9278]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: April 18, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
50 CFR Part 17

 

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 12-Month Petition 
Finding for the California Tiger Salamander

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of petition finding.

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces a 12-month 
finding on a petition to list the California tiger salamander 
(Ambystoma californiense) pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 
1973, as amended (Act). The petition has been found to be warranted but 
precluded by pending listing actions on higher priority species. The 
Service continues to seek data and comments from the public on the 
status and threats to this animal.

DATES: The finding reported in this document was made on April 12, 
1994. Comments and information may be submitted until further notice.

ADDRESSES: Comments and materials concerning this petition may be sent 
to the Field Supervisor, Sacramento Field Office, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, 2800 Cottage Way, Room E-1803, Sacramento, California 
95825-1846. The petition, finding, supporting data, 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, Sacramento Field 
Office (see ADDRESSES section) at 916/978-4866.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Section 4(b)(3)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 
amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), requires that for any petition to 
revise the Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants that 
presents substantial scientific and commercial information a finding be 
made within 12 months of the date of receipt of the petition on whether 
the petitioned action is (a) not warranted, (b) warranted, or (c) 
warranted but precluded from immediate proposal by other pending 
proposals to list, delist, or reclassify species. Such 12-month 
findings are to be published promptly in the Federal Register. If the 
finding is warranted but precluded, the Service shall, within 12 months 
of such finding, again make one of the three findings described above 
with regard to the petition.
    The California tiger salamander was designated as a category 2 
candidate for listing in the November 21, 1991, Animal Notice of Review 
(56 FR 58804). A category 2 candidate is a species for which data in 
the Service's possession indicate listing is possibly appropriate, but 
for which substantial information on biological vulnerability and 
threats is not currently available to support proposals for listing. In 
a petition dated February 20, 1992, and received on February 26, 1992, 
Dr. H. Bradley Shaffer of the University of California, Davis, 
requested the Service list the California tiger salamander as an 
endangered species. The petition cited numerous threats to the species, 
including habitat loss and fragmentation, predation by introduced 
species, and other anthropogenic factors. The Service announced its 90-
day petition finding in the Federal Register on November 19, 1992 (57 
FR 54545), which concluded that the petition presented substantial 
information indicating that the petitioned action may be warranted.
    The Service has carefully assessed the best scientific and 
commercial information available regarding the present and future 
threats facing the California tiger salamander. Most of the remaining 
range of the California tiger salamander is imminently threatened by 
urban development, conversion of natural habitat to agriculture, 
introduction of exotic predatory animals, and/or other anthropogenic 
factors (e.g., rodent control programs, vehicular-related mortality). 
However, several populations inhabiting refuges, parks, and other 
public lands are threatened only by exotic predators and stochastic 
events that may, in time, result in local extirpation. Moreover, tiger 
salamander localities in portions of the Diablo Range, inner Coast 
Ranges, and Sierra Nevada foothills are not significantly threatened at 
the present time. Coupled with the species' wide-ranging distribution 
(i.e., infrequently scattered population localities over 250 miles in 
24 California counties) and relatively large number of remaining 
breeding localities, the species will not face extinction if recovery 
is temporarily postponed. Therefore, the Service concludes that the 
threats facing the species are moderate.
    The Service concludes as a result of its status review that 
sufficient information is currently available to support a proposed 
rule to classify the species as endangered or threatened. According to 
Service policy announced in the Federal Register on May 12, 1993 (58 FR 
28034), such species are placed in category 1 and assigned a listing 
priority number. Guidelines for assigning proper listing priorities 
were published in the Federal Register on September 21, 1983 (48 FR 
43098). Consequently, given the moderate yet imminent threats facing 
the California tiger salamander throughout its range, the Service 
hereby assigns the California tiger salamander a listing priority 
number of 8.
    For the current fiscal year that began on October 1, 1993, the 
Service in central and northern California is making expeditious 
progress to propose and list at least 49 high priority taxa (38 species 
in eight listing packages with a listing priority of 2, 9 species in 
four listing packages with a listing priority of 3, and 2 species in a 
listing package with a listing priority of 6). In light of these 
ongoing listing efforts involving plants and animals that are 
imminently and highly threatened, the Service finds the petition to be 
warranted but precluded by pending listing actions on higher priority 
species.

Author

    The primary author of this document is Peter C. Sorensen (see 
ADDRESSES section).

Authority

    The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of 
1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531-1544).

    Dated: April 12, 1994.
Mollie H. Beattie,
Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 94-9278 Filed 4-15-94; 8:45 am]
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