[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 70 (Thursday, April 10, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19525-19526]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-7570]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R3-ES-2008-N0046; 30120-1113-0000 D3]


Post-Delisting Monitoring Plan for the Western Great Lakes 
Distinct Population Segment of the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus)

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 
availability of the Post-delisting Monitoring Plan for the Western 
Great Lakes Distinct Population Segment of the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) 
(Monitoring Plan). The status of the Distinct Population Segment (DPS) 
will be monitored over a 5-year period from

[[Page 19526]]

2007 through 2012, through annual evaluation of information collected 
by three states, other partners, and the Service.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Monitoring Plan are available by request from 
the Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4101 E. 80th St., 
Bloomington, MN (telephone 612-725-3548; fax; 612-725-3609). This 
Monitoring Plan is also available on the World Wide Web at http://www.fws.gov/midwest/wolf/pdm/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Phil Delphey, at the above 
Bloomington, MN address, or at [email protected], or at 612-725-
3548, extension 206.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Section 4(g) of the Endangered Species Act (Act) instructs the 
Secretary to implement a system in cooperation with the states to 
monitor effectively for not less than five years the status of any 
species that is delisted due to recovery. The intent of this monitoring 
is to determine whether the species should be proposed for relisting 
under the normal listing procedures, relisted under the emergency 
listing authority of the Act, or kept off of the list because it 
remains neither threatened nor endangered. For the Western Great Lakes 
Distinct Population Segment of the Gray Wolf [71 FR15266; (March 27, 
2006)], the Monitoring Plan focuses on reviewing and evaluating (1) 
Population characteristics of the DPS, (2) threats to the DPS, and (3) 
implementation of legal and management commitments that are important 
in reducing threats to the DPS or maintaining threats at sufficiently 
low levels.
    For the delisted DPS, focusing the Monitoring Plan on these three 
aspects is necessary and sufficient to ensure that the DPS does not 
decrease to the point of again meeting the definition of threatened or 
endangered without an appropriate and timely response from the Service. 
Winter and late-winter estimates of wolf populations in Minnesota, 
Wisconsin, and Michigan have demonstrated that wolves in the DPS have 
surpassed their numerical recovery criteria for a sufficient period due 
to a reduction in threats over the last 25 years. The protection and 
management of wolves by states, tribes, and federal land management 
agencies will be critical in conserving the DPS. Since delisting, state 
and tribal laws and regulations have become the primary mechanism to 
protect wolves from their primary former threat--excessive human-caused 
mortality.
    The Monitoring Plan for the DPS will be focused within the borders 
of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula (UP) of Michigan, 
where wolf populations have attained the numerical recovery criteria 
specified in the Recovery Plan for the Eastern Timber Wolf. The 
delisting of the DPS was based on wolf recovery in those states. 
Therefore, it is not necessary to conduct intensive monitoring in other 
parts of the DPS. The Service is interested, however, in reviewing any 
data regarding the existence of individual wolves or wolf populations 
outside of the core recovery areas, especially in the Northern Lower 
Peninsula of Michigan. Additionally, the Service is interested in 
obtaining disease and parasite data from wolves found in other portions 
of the DPS that may suggest a new or increasing threat that may impact 
wolves in the core recovery areas.
    On June 4, 2007, the Service announced the availability of its 
draft plan to monitor the WGLDPS of the Gray Wolf for public review and 
comment (72 FR 30819). After the comment period closed on July 5, 2007, 
the Service reviewed each comment received and prepared responses to 
substantive comments. The Service posted those comments and its 
responses on the internet--see http://www.fws.gov/midwest/wolf/pdm/.

Author

    The primary author of this notice of document availability is Phil 
Delphey (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section).

    Authority: The authority for this action is the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

    Dated: February 26, 2008.
Charlie Wooley,
Deputy Regional Director, Midwest Region.
 [FR Doc. E8-7570 Filed 4-9-08; 8:45 am]
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