Removing Five Subspecies of Mazama Pocket Gopher From the Candidate List for Endangered and Threatened Species

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), remove five subspecies of Mazama pocket gopher (Tacoma, Brush Prairie, Shelton, Olympic, and Cathlamet) from the list of candidates for listing as threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. After review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that the Tacoma pocket gopher is likely extinct; the Brush Prairie pocket gopher was misidentified as a subspecies of Mazama pocket gopher and was added to the list in error; and listing of the Shelton, Olympic, and Cathlamet pocket gophers is not warranted. However, we invite the submission of any new information concerning the status of, or threats to, the Shelton, Olympic, or Cathlamet pocket gophers or their habitats to our Washington Fish and Wildlife Office (see ADDRESSES section) whenever it becomes available. New information will help us monitor these three subspecies of Mazama pocket gopher and encourage their conservation. If an emergency situation develops for any of these three subspecies or any other species, we will act to provide immediate protection. We will continue to monitor these three subspecies of Mazama pocket gopher as species of concern.