[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 177 (Wednesday, September 14, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-22659]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: September 14, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Notice of Availability of a Draft Revised Recovery Plan for the
Florida Panther for Review and Comment
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of document availability and public comment period.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the
availability for public review of a draft revised recovery plan for the
Florida panther, Felis concolor coryi. A single population estimated to
number 30 to 50 adults represents the sole known remaining population
in the wild. This population utilizes approximately 3 million acres of
habitat on public and privately owned lands in south Florida. Existing
data indicate that the Florida panther will likely go extinct without
actions to restore genetic health to the population. The draft plan is
an abbreviated revision of the 1987 revised plan. It was prepared
specifically to incorporate a task designed to restore and maintain the
historic genetic character of the Florida panther. The Service solicits
review and comments from the public on this draft revision.
DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or
before October 31, 1994 to receive consideration by the Service.
ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the draft recovery plan may do so
by appointment, during normal business hours at the following four U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service locations: Jacksonville Field Office, 6620
South point Drive, South, Suite 310, Jacksonville, Florida 32216-0912
(Telephone 904/232-2580); Vero Beach Field Office, 1360 US Highway 1,
Suite 5, Vero Beach, Florida 32961-2676 (Telephone 407/562-3909);
Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, 3860 Tollgate Blvd., Suite
30, Naples, Florida 33942 (Telephone 813/353-8442); Florida Panther
Coordinator, 117 Newins-Ziegler Hall, University of Florida,
Gainesville, Florida 32611-0450 (Telephone 904/392-1961). Copies can be
purchased by contacting the Fish and Wildlife Reference Service, 5430
Grosvenor Lane, Suite 110, Bethesda, Maryland 20814 (Telephone 301/492-
6403 or 800/582-3421). Written comments and materials regarding the
plan should be addressed to the Florida Panther Coordinator at the
above Gainesville, Florida address. Comments and materials received are
available on request for public inspection, by appointment, during
normal business hours at the above Gainesville, Florida address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dennis Jordan, Florida Panther Coordinator, at the above Gainesville,
Florida address (telephone 904/392-1961).
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.
The species considered in this draft revised recovery plan is the
Florida panther, Felis concolor coryi. A single population estimated to
number 30 to 50 adults represents the sole known remaining population
in the wild. This population utilizes approximately 3 million acres of
habitat on public and privately owned lands in south Florida. Existing
data indicate that the Florida panther will likely go extinct without
actions to restore genetic health to the population. The subject plan
represents an abbreviated revision to the 1987 revised plan and was
undertaken specifically to incorporate into the recovery program a task
designed to restore and maintain the historic genetic character of the
Florida panther. Available biological data indicated that perhaps even
if all other major tasks contained in the present recovery program are
successfully implemented, the continued existence of the panther would
be doubtful without specific actions to restore genetic health to the
panther. The identification and implementation of actions needed to
accomplish this task would be guided by the analysis and evaluation of
various alternatives that may be available.
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 the plan.
Authority
The authority for this action is Section 4(f) of the Endangered
Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).
Dated: August 31, 1994.
David J. Wesley,
Field Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 94-22659 Filed 9-13-94; 8:45 am]
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