Foreign Endangered Species; Receipt of Permit Applications
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on applications to conduct certain activities with foreign species that are listed as endangered under the E...
Notice of receipt of permit applications; request for comments.
SUMMARY:
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on applications to conduct certain activities with foreign species that are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). With some exceptions, the ESA prohibits activities with listed species unless Federal authorization is issued that allows such activities. The ESA also requires that we invite public comment before issuing permits for any activity otherwise prohibited by the ESA with respect to any endangered species.
DATES:
We must receive comments by January 21, 2025.
ADDRESSES:
Obtaining Documents:
The applications, application supporting materials, and any comments and other materials that we receive will be available for public inspection at
https://www.regulations.gov
in Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2024-0192.
Submitting Comments:
When submitting comments, please specify the name of the applicant and the permit number at the beginning of your comment. You may submit comments by one of the following methods:
U.S. mail:
Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2024-0192; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, MS: PRB/3W; 5275 Leesburg Pike; Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.
For more information, see Public Comment Procedures under
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Timothy MacDonald, by phone at 703-358-2185 or via email at
DMAFR@fws.gov.
Individuals in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services. Individuals outside the United States should use the relay services offered within their country to make international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Public Comment Procedures
A. How do I comment on submitted applications?
We invite the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies to comment on these applications. Before issuing any of the requested permits, we will take into consideration any information that we receive during the public comment period.
You may submit your comments and materials by one of the methods in
ADDRESSES
. We will not consider comments sent by email or to an address not in
ADDRESSES
. We will not consider or include in our administrative record comments we receive after the close of the comment period (see
DATES
).
When submitting comments, please specify the name of the applicant and the permit number at the beginning of your comment. Provide sufficient information to allow us to authenticate any scientific or commercial data you include. The comments and recommendations that will be most useful and likely to influence agency decisions are: (1) Those supported by quantitative information or studies; and (2) those that include citations to, and analyses of, the applicable laws and regulations.
If you submit a comment at
https://www.regulations.gov,
your entire comment, including any personal identifying information, will be posted on the website. If you submit a hardcopy comment that includes personal identifying information, such as your address, phone number, or email address, you may request at the top of your document that we withhold this information from public review. However, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Moreover, all submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, will be made available for public disclosure in their entirety.
II. Background
To help us carry out our conservation responsibilities for affected species, and in consideration of section 10(c) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as
( printed page 104200)
amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531et seq.), we invite public comments on permit applications before final action is taken. With some exceptions, the ESA prohibits certain activities with listed species unless Federal authorization is issued that allows such activities. Permits issued under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA allow otherwise prohibited activities for scientific purposes or to enhance the propagation or survival of the affected species. Service regulations regarding prohibited activities with endangered species, captive-bred wildlife registrations, and permits for any activity otherwise prohibited by the ESA with respect to any endangered species are available in title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations in part 17.
III. Permit Applications
We invite comments on the following applications.
Applicant: North Carolina Zoo, Asheboro, NC 27205; Permit No. PER13416102
The applicant requests a permit to import 50 samples taken from wild-origin Virgin Island tree boas (
Epicrates monensis granti) to the North Carolina Zoo, located in Asheboro, North Carolina, for the purposes of scientific research. This notification is for a single import.
Applicant: Dallas World Aquarium, Dallas, TX; Permit No. PER11682955
The applicant requests a permit to export 28 live captive-born Orinoco crocodile (
Crocodylus intermedius) to Faunca Silvestre Productos y Servicios in Venezuela, for the purpose of enhancing the propagation or survival of the species. This notification is for a single export.
Applicant: University of Alaska Museum, Fairbanks, AK; Permit No. PER11888646
The applicant requests a permit to import scientific specimens from the bird species listed below with the specified origin, for the purpose of scientific research. This notification is for a single import.
Common name
Scientific name
Red siskin
Carduelis cucullata.
Edward's pheasant
Lophura edwardsi.
Swinhoe's pheasant
Lophura swinhoii.
Seychelles fody
Foudia sechellarum.
Red-tailed amazon
Amazona brasiliensis.
Cuban amazon
Amazona leucocephala leucocephala.
Vinaceous-breasted amazon
Amazona vinacea.
Hyacinth macaw
Amazona hyacinthus.
Blue-throated macaw
Ara glaucogularis.
Military macaw
Ara militaris mexicana.
White cockatoo
Cacatua alba.
Salmon-crested cockatoo
Cacatua moluccensis.
Sulphur-crested cockatoo
Cacatua sulphurea.
Golden parakeet
Guaruba guarouba.
Pileated parrot
Pionopsitta pileata.
Golden-shouldered parrot
Leucopsar rothschildi.
Hooded parrot
Psephotus dissimilis.
Bali myna
Leucopsar rothschildi.
Applicant: Duke University, Durham, NC; Permit No. PER11738565
The applicant requests authorization to import biological specimens from the aye-aye (
Daubentonia madagascariensis); Eastern woolly lemur (
Avahi laniger); gray-headed lemur (
Eulemur cinereiceps); black-and-white ruffed lemur (
Varecia variegata); various lemur species of the genera
Cheirogaleus, Hapalemur, Lepilemur,
and
Microcebus
from Madagascar; and biological specimens from the bonobo (
Pan paniscus) from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for the purpose of scientific research. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.
Applicant: National Aviary in Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA; Permit No. PER11887512
The applicant requests to amend their captive-bred wildlife registration under 50 CFR 17.21(g) to include the blue-billed curassow (
Crax alberti), to enhance the propagation or survival of the species. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.
Applicant: Metro Richmond Zoo, Moseley, VA; Permit No. PER13186673
The applicant requests a captive-bred wildlife registration under 50 CFR 17.21(g) for the following species, to enhance the propagation or survival of the species. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.
Common name
Scientific name
African lion
Panthera leo melanochaita.
African lion
Panthera leo leo.
African penguin
Spheniscus demersus.
Asian tapir
Tapirus indicus.
Black-and-white ruffed lemur
Varecia variegata variegata.
Orangutan
Pongo pygmaeus.
Orangutan
Pongo abelii.
Central American tapir
Tapirus bairdii.
Cheetah
Acinonyx jubatus.
Chimpanzee
Pan troglodytes.
Diana monkey
Cercopithecus diana.
Galapagos tortoise
Geochelone nigra.
Komodo Island monitor
Varanus komodoensis.
Lar gibbon
Hylobates lar.
Red-ruffed lemur
Varecia rubra.
Ring-tailed lemur
Lemur catta.
Siamang
Symphalangus syndactylus.
Snow leopard
Uncia uncia.
South American tapir
Tapirus terrestris.
Southern white rhinoceros
Ceratotherium simum simum.
Applicant: Los Angeles Zoo, Los Angeles, CA; Permit No. PER11845142
The applicant requests a captive-bred wildlife registration under 50 CFR 17.21(g) for the following species, to enhance the propagation or survival of the species. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.
The applicant requests a captive-bred wildlife registration under 50 CFR 17.21(g) for the koala (
Phascolarctos cinereus), to enhance the propagation or survival of the species. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.
The applicant requests a captive-bred wildlife registration under 50 CFR 17.21(g) for Arabian oryx (
Oryx leucoryx), swamp deer (
Cervus duvauceli), and red lechwe (
Kobus leche), to enhance the propagation or survival of the species. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.
The applicant requests the renewal of their permit to export and re-import non-living museum specimens of endangered and threatened species previously legally accessioned into the permittee's collection for scientific research. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.
The applicant requests a permit authorizing the culling of excess Arabian oryx (
Oryx leucoryx), swamp deer (
Cervus duvauceli), and red lechwe (
Kobus leche), from the captive herd maintained at their facility, to enhance the species' propagation and survival. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.
Multiple Trophy Applicants
The following applicants request permits to import sport-hunted trophies of male bontebok (
Damaliscus pygargus pygargus) culled from a captive herd maintained under the management program of the Republic of South Africa, for the purpose of enhancing the propagation or survival of the species.
Adam Hall, Troy, PA; Permit No. PER13371204
Todd Harmon, O'Fallon, MO; Permit No. PER13372478
Alan Freilich, Moorhead, IA; Permit No. PER13301853
James Hall, Troy, PA; Permit No. PER13373724
Jason Soulliere, Romeo, MI; Permit No. PER13374211
Christopher E. O'Connor, Dumfries, VA; Permit No. PER13406047
James Phillip Bryant, Austin, TX; Permit No. PER13408401
Mark T. Fitzgibbons, Topeka, KS; Permit No. PER13078805
Douglas Milkey, Chelsea, MI; Permit No. PER12805698
Alton J. Hall Jr., Covington, LA; Permit No. PER12714679
Christopher E. McClain, Nashotah, WI; Permit No. PER13136192
James Doty Jr., Broadview Heights, OH; Permit No. PER13301163
IV. Next Steps
After the comment period closes, we will make decisions regarding permit issuance. If we issue permits to any of the applicants listed in this notice, we will publish a notice in the
Federal Register
. You may locate the notice announcing the permit issuance by searching
https://www.regulations.gov
for the permit number listed above in this document. For example, to find information about the potential issuance of Permit No. 12345A, you would go to
regulations.gov
and search for “12345A”.
V. Authority
We issue this notice under the authority of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531et seq.), and its implementing regulations.
Timothy MacDonald,
Government Information Specialist, Branch of Permits, Division of Management Authority.