[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]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M