Phoenix, Ariz. – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking comments on a proposed rule for one of the most endangered mammals in North America.
As part of its ongoing efforts to conserve the endangered black-footed ferret, the Service, with the support of the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) and several Arizona Tribes, is proposing a rule that would expand the area for the reintroduction of experimental populations of the ferret to much of northern and southeastern parts of the state.
The proposed rule, if finalized, would make it easier for volunteer landowners to host ferrets on their property. Three Arizona Tribes support reintroductions on their reservation lands, including the Hopi Tribe, Hualapai Tribe, and the Navajo Nation (whose reservation land also includes portions of Utah and New Mexico).
The proposed rule will publish in the Federal Register on June 25 at federalregister.gov. Government, non-governmental organizations, academia and the public are encouraged to submit comments on the proposed rule online at regulations.gov then search under Docket Number for this rulemaking: FWS–R2–ES–2020–0123. The 60-day comment period ends August 24, 2021.
The flexibility provided by 10(j) rules allowed the Service to reintroduce ferrets in Aubrey Valley, Arizona, in 1996 and in other parts of the ferret’s range on public and private lands. Several potential sites for reintroductions in Arizona have been identified in AZGFD’s ferret management plan. The special allowances afforded under the 10(j) rule enable landowners to host the ferrets in a way that is compatible with the management of their property and without many of the regulatory restrictions normally associated with Endangered Species Act-listed species.
