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Environmental Law

: ESA Blawg

FWS says listing of white-sided jackrabbit may be warranted

By Keith Rizzardi

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74 Fed. Reg. 36152 / Vol. 74, No. 139 / Wednesday, July 22, 2009 / Proposed Rules
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR / Fish and Wildlife Service / 50 CFR Part 17 / Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 90-Day Finding on a Petition To List the White-Sided Jackrabbit (Lepus callotis) as Threatened or Endangered
ACTION: Notice of 90–day petition finding and initiation of status and critical habitat review.

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 90–day finding on a petition to list the white-sided jackrabbit (Lepus callotis) as an endangered species and designate critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. Following a review of the petition, we find the petition provides substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing this species may be warranted. Therefore, with the publication of this notice, we are initiating a status review to determine if listing this species is warranted. To ensure that the status review is comprehensive, we are requesting the public to submit scientific and commercial data and other information regarding the white-sided jackrabbit. We will make a determination on critical habitat if and when we initiate a listing action for this species.

The white-sided jackrabbit was first listed as a candidate (Category 2) for Federal listing as either a threatened or endangered species under the Act, in the 1982 Candidate Notice of Review (47 FR 58454, December 30, 1982). Category 2 status included those taxa for which information in the Service’s possession indicated that a proposed listing rule was possibly appropriate, but for which sufficient data on biological vulnerability and threats were not available to support a proposed rule. In its resting position, a White-sided Jackrabbit is camouflaged with its surroundings. The long hind legs and feet are adapted for speed, giving the animal lift and an ability to run in a zig-zag fashion that surpasses its pursuers. The long ears serve to locate sound as well as regulate temperature when they are raised like a fan to catch passing breezes in hot conditions. Some caption info from wikipedia, photo from Larissa's Bunny Guide.

KEITHINKING: As noted above, this species was first recognized as facing the possibility of extinction in 1982. Twenty-seven years (and one detailed petition) later, FWS determined that listing of the species may be warranted.

Full post as published by ESA Blawg on July 22, 2009 (boomark / email).