Fish and Wildlife Service March 27, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The public is invited to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) propose to establish the Western Great Lakes Distinct Population Segment (WGL DPS) of the gray wolf (Canis lupus). This DPS includes all of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan; the eastern half of North Dakota and South Dakota; the northern half of Iowa; the northern portions of Illinois and Iowa; and the northwestern portion of Ohio. We further propose to remove the WGL DPS from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife established under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We propose these actions because available data indicate that this DPS no longer meets the definitions of threatened or endangered under the Act. The threats have been reduced or eliminated as evidenced by a population that is stable or increasing in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan, and greatly exceeds the numerical recovery criteria established in its recovery plan. Completed State wolf management plans will provide adequate protection and management of the species if delisted in the WGL DPS. The proposed rule, if finalized, would remove this DPS from the protections of the Act. This proposed rule would also remove the currently designated critical habitat for the gray wolf in Minnesota and Michigan and remove the current special regulations for gray wolves in Minnesota.