Search Results for keywords:"distinct population segment"

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing changes to the listing and management of grizzly bears in the lower 48 states. They intend to redefine the grizzly bear's geographic boundaries as a distinct population segment (DPS) and retain its threatened status under the Endangered Species Act. The proposal aims to promote conservation by clarifying areas suitable for grizzly bears, including revisions to protective regulations under section 4(d) of the Act. Public comments on the proposed changes will be accepted until March 17, 2025, along with multiple public informational meetings and hearings scheduled in early 2025.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is inviting public comments on a 2023 analysis about the northern population segment of the scarlet macaw. This analysis reevaluates if this group of birds is considered threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. The public has until January 27, 2025, to submit their comments. The Service will consider the feedback to potentially update the 2023 analysis and make a final decision on the listing status of the macaw.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is proposing an update to the description of the western North Pacific gray whale population under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to reflect the latest scientific understanding. This update follows a 5-year review and a distinct population segment analysis, which found that the gray whales in this area should be managed as a single group, including those that migrate between the Western and Eastern North Pacific. The proposed changes update the official description without altering the endangered status of the whales. Public comments on this proposal are invited until January 13, 2025.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a 12-month finding regarding a petition to classify and remove the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE) grizzly bear population as a separate group from the endangered species list. After reviewing scientific data, they concluded that the NCDE grizzly bears do not qualify as a distinct population segment under the Endangered Species Act, which means they are not eligible for separate classification or delisting. The decision was based on the fact that the grizzly bear population in the area is growing and expanding its range, with bears moving beyond the proposed boundaries. Therefore, the action to establish and remove the NCDE group from protection is not warranted at this time.