View Rule

Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), we propose to list as endangered 10 animal species and 39 plant species in the Hawaiian Islands. These species are candidate species for which we have on file sufficient information on biological vulnerability and threats to support preparation of a listing proposal, but for which development of a listing regulation has been precluded by other higher priority listing activities. This rule reassesses all available information regarding status of and threats to these species. These 49 species are experiencing population-level impacts as the result of multiple stressors, including habitat loss and degradation from urbanization, nonnative feral ungulates, and nonnative invasive plants; predation or herbivory by nonnative feral ungulates, rats, cats, mongoose, and invertebrates; inadequate existing regulatory mechanisms to prevent the introduction and spread of nonnative plants and animals; competition with nonnative species; and small population size. Under the ESA, we have the authority to list any species, subspecies, or any distinct population segment (DPS) of any species of vertebrate, if there is sufficient information to indicate that such action may be warranted. We propose to designate the Hawaii population of band-rumped storm-petrel (Oceanodroma castro) as a DPS, and to list that DPS as endangered under the ESA.