U.S.Fish and Wildlife studies Wood Bison reclassification
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is accepting public comments through April 6 regarding its support for a petition to reclassify Woods Bison from endangered to threatened status under the Endangered Species Act.
Woods Bison, a desperate breed from the more common Plains Bison, was placed on the Endangered Species list in 1970.
"At that time through the present, the only wild wood bison herds were found in the boreal wilderness of northwestern Canada," according to the Federal Register notice published February 3, 2009.
The Federal Register Notice explains that the subspecies have increased in population and range since that listing. "All wild, disease-free wood bison, 3,382 specimens in 2004, are found in northwestern Canada. They are distributed among seven managed populations in the Northwest Territories, the Yukon Territory, British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba. There are also 15 captive-breeding herds (5 public herds and 10 private herds), with all of the public herds located in northwestern Canada."
The move to delist the Woods Bison was prompted by a petition filed by the National Wood bison Recovery Team at the University of Calgary in late 2007.
Individuals wanting to comment on this issue may submit information, materials, and comments by one of the following methods:
- Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
- U.S.mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R9-IA-2008-0123; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive; Suite 222; Arlington, VA 22203.
The actual federal register notice can be found at:http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-2084.pdf
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